Video: Ferrari 2017 Bahrain GP Preview

In a few days, Formula 1 faces a complete change of scene. From the metropolis to the desert, from the cold and damp of Shanghai to a sweltering Sakhir and temperatures around 40 degrees. The only thing the Chinese and Bahrain Grands Prix have in common is that they both first appeared on the calendar in 2004. The circuits have very little in common: while Shanghai is all flowing corners, the Bahrain International Circuit juxtaposes straights with hairpins and heavy braking.

Engine performance, traction out of the corners and stability under braking make up the technical challenge here. After a good result on Sunday, Scuderia Ferrari has traveled to the small archipelago of Bahrain – it measures just 765 square kilometers – in the Persian Gulf. The first back-to-back races of the year have involved a demanding schedule, with all the work of packing up quickly and sending the freight from China in a very short space of time.

The race is run at night, although it’s still hot at that time and afterwards, some of the team will stay on for two days of testing on Tuesday and Wednesday.