Williams heads to Bahrain with lessons from China

©WRI2

On the back of a fruitless race weekend in Shanghai, Williams will be looking to bounce back in Bahrain with a performance worthy of its potential.

Williams satisfactorily jumped Saturday's qualifying hurdle in China, with both Felipe Massa and Lance Stroll achieving a top-ten grid position.

Race day dawned full of hope of a good showing, only for the team to go backwards as a result of poor performance from Massa, and unlucky circumstances for Stroll.

"These are the days where we need to convert our disappointment into constructive development," said Paddy Lowe.

"It was a tough day for us. It was always going to be a difficult and long afternoon in the mixed conditions.

"Unfortunately, Lance's race ended very quickly after being hit from behind at Turn 10, which was a shame after his strong qualifying result.

"On Felipe's side, it was an incredibly painful afternoon and he was lacking in grip throughout."

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The Bahrain circuit, which led F1's expansion into the Middle east in 2004, offers its own set of unique challenges, with high temperatures, dust and sand around the 5.4km layout.

"Bahrain is a great track that has been transformed since becoming a twilight race in 2014, with a great atmosphere in the build up to lights-out, with a magical feel as it ends under the lights as darkness falls," Lowe explains.

"We have seen some very exciting battles on track there between drivers over the years, and this year promises to be no different."

Peak performance in the desert environment and heat will be hard to come by, and even more difficult to sustain.

"It is very tough on brakes so it will be interesting to see how well the teams fare with this generation of faster cars.

"It can be hot, testing the cooling systems, and the wind and sand can also be a factor, especially during the early parts of the weekend, so it has the ability to be quite a tricky test for both the teams and driver

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.