There is not as much data to go on as usual, with just four previous F1 races held at the desert track. Hopefully the attached data sheet will still prove useful in the forthcoming battle with the bookies. Let me know what you think.

Title: Bahrain Grand Prix Data Sheet | Format: PDF | Filesize: 76.4kb

It is difficult to draw conclusions from so little data, particularly when the 2008 season is yet to properly bed-down. It does however look like a circuit where one driver can dominate the entire weekend; the pole-sitter is sure to be odds-on come Sunday. SportingBet have some interested related-contingency bets (Pole/Win and Win/Fastest Lap), but I haven’t calculated what kind of margin they are working to yet.

Nico Rosberg’s Fastest Lap stands out on that sheet and is a reminder of a great weekend for the German. Having tasted success here in the past in GP2 and with a podium under his belt already this season, he is a driver that I will be watching closely throughout the weekend.

More thoughts to follow through the weekend…