Sakhir Grand Prix: Race Recap

Event: Sakhir Grand Prix – Sunday December 6
Location: Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir
Layout: 3.543-kilometer (2.201-mile), 11-turn ‘Outer Track’
Weather: Clear
Air Temps: 21 degrees Celsius (69.8 degrees Fahrenheit)
Track Temps: 24 degrees Celsius (75.2 degrees Fahrenheit)
Race Winner: Sergio Perez of Racing Point
Team Result: Kevin Magnussen – Started 15th / Finished 15th (Running, completed 87/87 laps)
Pietro Fittipaldi – Started 20th / Finished 17th (Running, completed 87/87 laps)

Recap

Haas F1 Team driver Kevin Magnussen finished 15th with Pietro Fittipaldi 17th at Formula 1’s Sakhir Grand Prix, held Sunday at the Bahrain International Circuit.

Magnussen started from 15th position on Pirelli’s P Zero Red soft tires and profited from drama elsewhere to move into 12th spot, executing a customary good start. Magnussen battled firmly among Haas F1 Team’s usual rivals throughout the race, running a two-stop strategy, coming in for Yellow mediums on lap 26 and then again for additional softs on lap 56. Magnussen retained that set for the rest of the 87-lap encounter and crossed the finish line in 15th position.

Fittipaldi started his maiden Formula 1 race from 20th position on soft tires and gained four positions to hold 16th place through the early stint. Fittipaldi came in on lap 33 for medium rubber, then again on lap 56 for softs – he pitted for a third and final time on lap 64 for soft tires once again when the Safety Car was deployed. Fittipaldi stayed out of trouble for the remainder of the race to get a full distance under his belt first time out, greeting the checkered flag in 17th. 

Racing Point driver Sergio Perez claimed his maiden grand prix victory at the 190th attempt, with Renault’s Esteban Ocon scoring a first podium by classifying runner-up, while Lance Stroll made it a Racing Point 1-3 finish with third.

Haas F1 Team retains ninth in the Constructors’ Championship with three points.

Haas F1 Team will be back in action for the season-closing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, to be held at the Yas Marina Circuit, from December 11 to 13.

Pietro Fittipaldi, Driver No. 51, Haas F1 Team

“I’m happy to have finished my first grand prix – that was the goal. I had a good battle at the end with Jack (Aitken), and I had Kevin (Magnussen) in front of me as well. It was good to get some action in there. My pace was quite good from mid-race through to the end. At the restart I was trying to fight, but I was conscious at the same time that the goal was to finish. I’ve learned a lot for my next race, that’s the most important thing. It’s very difficult nowadays to make it to Formula 1 but I can say I’ve finished a Formula 1 race. I’m thankful to the team for the opportunity.”  

 

Kevin Magnussen, Driver No. 20, Haas F1 Team

“We were just slow today, there was no chance for us to do anything. We weren’t able to compete; the pace just wasn’t there for us. No matter what happened in the race we’d have needed a lot of people to not finish to be able to reach the points. It was a tough race, you always hope something can happen, but it didn’t today. We’ll look at everything tonight and see if there are any positives we can take from the day.”

 

Guenther Steiner, Team Principal, Haas F1 Team

“We finished the race with both cars without any major drama. We’re not happy with the positions we’ve finished the race in, but we know we have to improve everywhere. Pietro (Fittipaldi) did a good job in his first race having not driven a Formula 1 car in a year. He drove a solid race; he couldn’t have done much more – the same goes for Kevin (Magnussen). We now look forward to the final race of the season and then a well-earned winter break.”