Ferrari's Bahrain Gp: What Went Wrong?

Ferrari has had a number of setbacks in Bahrain, including a botched pit stop that injured a mechanic, and a series of unexpected mechanical issues that impacted their performance in the Bahrain Grand Prix. In one instance, a short circuit in an injection system control unit caused engine problems for Charles Leclerc, denying him a first Formula 1 victory in Bahrain and forcing him to retire from the race. In another incident, a sensor confusion during a pit stop led to an unsafe release of Kimi Raikkonen's car, resulting in a collision with a mechanic, who suffered a double leg fracture. These incidents have had consequences for both Ferrari's race results and the well-being of their team members.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc forced to retire from Bahrain Grand Prix due to mechanical issues

Ferraris' Charles Leclerc was forced to retire from the Bahrain Grand Prix due to mechanical issues. Leclerc's race started well, as he jumped from third to second place by making good use of fresh soft tyres. However, his car eventually ground to a halt, with Leclerc reporting "No power!" over the radio. This issue caused him to drop back to third place, and he was ultimately forced to retire from the race on Lap 41.

The problem was later identified as a short circuit in an injection system control unit, something that had never been seen before on the affected component. This unexpected reliability issue surprised the Ferrari team, who were anticipating possible issues with tyre management instead. Despite the setback, Ferrari planned to run the same power unit in Leclerc's car for the Chinese Grand Prix the following week.

Leclerc expressed his disappointment, stating that they "definitely had the car to fight for the podium" and hoped that the team could understand what went wrong to prevent similar issues in the future. His retirement from the race left him without any points, while Red Bull claimed maximum points with a dominant 1-2 finish.

Ferrari fined 50,000 euros after a mechanic suffers double leg fracture during a botched pit stop

During the Bahrain Grand Prix, a Ferrari mechanic suffered a double leg fracture after a botched pit stop involving Kimi Raikkonen's car. Raikkonen was released from the pits too early and collided with the mechanic, later identified as Francesco Cigarini. Cigarini sustained a fracture to his shinbone and fibula and underwent successful surgery in Bahrain.

The incident occurred when Raikkonen was brought into the pits from third place in an attempt to pressure Mercedes. However, he was given the signal to leave before all four of his tyres had been replaced. As a result, when Raikkonen accelerated, he drove into Cigarini, who was standing in front of the left rear tyre that had not yet been changed.

Ferrari was fined 50,000 euros by the FIA for the unsafe release of Raikkonen's car during the pit stop. The team conducted a review of the procedure along with the FIA to determine the cause of the incident. It was found that sensor confusion triggered the early release, as the system registered the wheel change as completed when it had not been.

Ferrari boss Maurizio Arrivabene emphasized the team's concern for their staff and assured that they would ensure such an incident would not recur. Cigarini recovered at home in Italy after receiving initial care in Bahrain.

Ferrari's unexpected reliability issues in Bahrain caused by short circuit in the injection system control unit

Ferraris' unexpected reliability issues in Bahrain during the 2019 Bahrain Grand Prix were caused by a short circuit in the injection system control unit. This issue affected Charles Leclerc's car, causing him to lose power and slowing him down by 5.0s per lap, ultimately dropping him back to third place.

The problem arose while Leclerc was in the lead, comfortably ahead of Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes. The short circuit caused Leclerc's car to lose power, forcing him to retire from the race. This issue had never been seen before on the affected component, according to Ferrari.

Despite the unexpected problem, Ferrari decided to use the same power unit in Leclerc's car for the Chinese Grand Prix the following weekend. Mattia Binotto, the Ferrari team principal, stated that avoiding similar issues would be a priority for the team in Shanghai.

The Bahrain Grand Prix ended in disappointment for Ferrari, with Leclerc retiring due to technical issues and his teammate, Carlos Sainz, finishing in fourth place. This unexpected reliability issue caught the team off guard, as they had anticipated possible issues with tyre management rather than reliability.

Ferrari's Carlos Sainz finishes fourth in the Bahrain Grand Prix

Ferraris' Bahrain Grand Prix was riddled with issues. Charles Leclerc was forced to retire from the race on Lap 41 due to a mechanical issue, while Carlos Sainz Jr. struggled to battle for a podium finish and ultimately placed fourth.

Leclerc's retirement was caused by a short circuit in an injection system control unit, resulting in a loss of power. This issue had not been seen before on the affected component, according to Ferrari. Despite having a comfortable lead over Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes, the problem slowed Leclerc's pace significantly, dropping him back to third place before his eventual retirement.

Ferrari test driver Marc Gene admitted that the team was surprised by the reliability issue, which was ""completely unexpected." While they had anticipated possible issues with tyre management, a problem they had experienced in the past, the reliability woes took them off guard.

In addition to Leclerc's retirement, Ferrari also faced another setback when Kimi Raikkonen was released too early from the pits, colliding with a mechanic and causing a double leg fracture. This incident resulted in a 50,000 euro fine for Ferrari.

Despite the challenges, Sainz Jr. managed to secure fourth place for Ferrari, finishing behind Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez of Red Bull, and Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin.

Tyre management issues for Ferrari in Bahrain

Tyre management has been a known issue for Ferrari, and it reared its head again during the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc had to retire from the race on Lap 41 when his car lost power. His teammate, Carlos Sainz, also struggled with tyre management and finished the race in P4, despite starting in third.

Leclerc had jumped from third to second by making good use of fresh soft tyres he saved in qualifying. However, he soon settled into third place as the race strategies played out. Unfortunately, his car then ground to a halt, with Leclerc exclaiming, "No, no, no! No power!" over the radio.

Ferrari test driver Marc Gene admitted that while they were anticipating possible issues with tyre management, the reliability issues they encountered were unexpected. He stated:

> "We've improved in some areas. I think the car was fast, we could have had pole position really in Bahrain. But [we suffered with] reliability, which was something completely unexpected. Really, we were not expecting that. And then, of course, the tyre management, which is something we knew was going to be a hard point for us."

Frequently asked questions