Kazuki's Bahrain Blog

Posted on Monday 09 Apr 2007 and tagged with kazuki, bahrain.

Fast car bodes well for the future I didn't drive the Williams FW29 during Friday's first practice session in Bahrain. For the first time this year, my attentions at a Grand Prix were focused on the GP2 Series. Going into the weekend, I felt well prepared because I'd been quick during winter testing and I'd raced at Sakhir in Formula 3, so I knew the circuit. Here's a brief resume of my weekend. Things got off to a bad start because I completed only 11 laps during practice due to an engine problem. But I got out at the end of the session and managed to set the fourth fastest time, which was encouraging. In qualifying, the times were very close. My fastest lap was only 0.4s from pole, but I had to start race one from ninth place. On the grid I then had my second technical problem of the weekend because my clutch slipped and I stalled the engine. I got going from the pitlane, but my chances of a good result were effectively over. For the remainder of the race I worked my strategy around trying to set the fastest lap, which is rewarded with one championship point. I changed tyres on lap 25 of 33 and completed some light-fuel laps on new tyres, with the result that my fastest lap was more than 0.7s faster than everyone else! I had no problems getting away from the line in race two and I kept to the inside through Turn 1 because I thought it was the best place to avoid an accident. My strategy worked because I emerged from the corner in 11th place, having started 17th. My car handled really well throughout the race. I had slightly more wing than the cars around me which meant I was quicker than them through the corners and under braking, but slower down the straights. It was the right set-up because I overtook lots of people and had a great dice with Michael Ammermueller in the closing stages. I eventually passed him and finished sixth, which was a great result. My Dams team-mate Nicolas Lapierre won race two, which gave everyone in the team a big boost. We have obviously found a good set up for the car, so I'm already looking forward to the next race in Barcelona.