Where to Watch The Bahrain Grand Prix This Weekend
Formula 1 - Bahrain Grand Prix
Sunday, November 28th - 9 a.m. ET - ESPN
In an ordinary season, this weekend would mark the final Formula 1 race of the year. This is, of course, not an ordinary season.
Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes AMG F1 have already locked up their inevitable championships, but the rest of the field still has plenty to fight for. One thing to watch in particular will be the battle for third in the constructor's championship, set to be waged between almost half the grid over the next three races. With so much money at stake for teams competing for the spot, this could be a defining moment in determining who is most prepared for new developments next season and new cars in 2022.
Lewis Hamilton will, unsurprisingly, start the race from pole. Equally unsurprising are those starting from second and third, Valtteri Bottas and Max Verstappen. An impressive run to fourth puts Alexander Albon in one of the better starting positions of his career, and tomorrow's race will be one of three final chances to deliver a knockout punch and show Red Bull Racing that he deserves to drive their second car long-term.
It seems clear at this point that one of his chief competitors for that car is Sergio Perez, who will start fifth for Racing Point. With teammate Lance Stroll missing Q3 and qualifying outside of the top ten, Perez will be carrying an additional burden this weekend; As the team chases potentially the program-changing money that comes with finishing third in the constructor's championship, he will be acting as the lead driver for a program that has already moved on from him. Effectively, he is fighting for a better future for a team that he will be competing against if he returns to the Formula 1 grid. With two Renaults and a McLaren starting close behind him, he is trying to optimize the car's strengths for Sebastian Vettel's team debut next season.
Ferraris missing Q3 are no longer a surprise at this point in the season, and, even after their strong performances in the most recent race, Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc starting 11th and 12th feels more expected than noteworthy. In addition to Stroll, McLaren's Carlos Sainz will have to fight for crucial points toward the 2020 constructor's championship standings from a starting position outside of the top ten.
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