Bahrain: Final push, but no points for Daniel

Strong late-race pace on new soft tyres propels Daniel to the edge of the points, but he and Visa Cash App RB left Bahrain empty-handed after finishing 13th in the 2024 season-opener.

Race data

Bahrain (Round 1 of 24), 29 February-2 March, 2024
Bahrain International Circuit, 5.412km, 57 laps
Qualified: 14th
Finished: 13th
Laps per position: 10th (2 laps), 11th (1 lap), 12th (3 laps), 13th (10 laps), 14th (14 laps), 15th (18 laps), 16th (8 laps)
Pit stops/tyres: Lap 13 (soft/hard), lap 35 (hard/soft)
Fastest lap: 1min 35.163secs (13th), lap 37
Points this event: 0
Points this season: 0 (13th in world championship)

Daniel's download

“The first two stints were pretty painful today!

“It was only the last stint was when we had some pace. At the beginning we went on a used soft tyre to try to have the new one at the end in the last stint, but at the beginning with the used I really struggled a lot. From the get-go – I had pretty poor grip off the line and then the first stint was really just trying to hold on.

“The new soft at the end was a lot better, and we had some pace and were catching the pack, but then we got stuck a little bit and we lost the grip in the tyre to charge through (Haas’ Kevin) Magnussen and (Sauber’s) Zhou (Guanyu).

“Looking at the race, if we could do the race again now, with what we can change (on the car) I’d change a few things, so I am confident in some areas where we could improve it immediately. The bigger stuff … there’s a few things I have an idea of, but we still have a bit of homework to do. A tenth, two-tenths (of a second) makes a big difference.

“I don’t think we’re there challenging Aston Martin yet, at least around this track, we’re not a top-five team yet. Let’s see next week in Jeddah, a completely different track and asphalt. We came into the season knowing we had some development over the winter but, honestly, not enough. But we’re not panicking, it is what it is for now.

“It’s the first race with a lot of new personnel in the team so I’m excited to get back on track in a week and keep it rolling. I think we can be there or thereabouts in the points in the upcoming races.”

DR’s race recap

* Qualified 14th and ended lap 1 in 14th place.
* Passed by Sargeant/Williams on lap 2, fell to 15th.
* Moved in 10th on lap 13 after first pit stops, pitted on lap 13 and rejoined in 16th.
* Passed Ocon/Alpine on lap 21 to take 15th.
* Pitted on lap 35 from 11th and rejoined in 16th.
* Passed Hulkenberg/Haas on lap 41 to claim 14th.
* Allowed past teammate Tsunoda/RB for 13th on lap 52.
* Finished 13th, one lap down on race-winner Verstappen/Red Bull, and 0.642secs behind Magnussen/Haas in 12th.

DR’s next destination

Round 2: Saudi Arabia (Jeddah Corniche Circuit), 9 March
Saudi Arabia in 2022 (most recent race): qualified 12th, did not finish (35 laps, gearbox)
In F1: 2 races, 10 points, 1 points finish, 1 DNF
Best finish: 5th (2021)