General
Opinion: Sakhir Outer Ring another circuit that overemphasizes engine power
- GPblog.com
Motorsport is a sport of balance: It's not only about the skills of the driver, but also about the quality of the power source that drives them, so to speak. It is therefore logical to try to emulate this balance on a Formula 1 circuit, with challenges for both the engine and the reflexes of the drivers. But on the outer ring of Sakhir, on which the drivers will be putting down some rubber for the rest of the weekend, this balance seems to be nowhere to be found.
It is estimated that on some 60.1% of the Sakhir Outer Ring drivers will be able to go full throttle, although other estimates put this percentage at around 70%. With only two hard braking points and a lot of long straights, a normal situation will see the faster cars on the grid disappear quickly on the horizon come Sunday. Good news for Max Verstappen, of course, but whether it's a blessing for the sport is another matter entirely.
Also, the blue flags will be flying around the drivers in midfield, a matter that is not tempered by the fact that a good lap on Sakhir takes less than 60 seconds. All in all, the Sakhir GP is set to be a race where being two or three laps behind will easily become the reality for some on the grid.
Sakhir's problem obviously fits within the broader discussion that has been going on for a long time within Formula 1: Should the emphasis be on racing talent or on horsepower? In many cases, the driver who has both wins, and that driver is often Lewis Hamilton. However, it remains a valid question, and the decision that is made about this has an impact on the results of both races and championships.
Just look at the constructors classification: The excitement of this season was not in the battle for the title, but in the battle for third. The difference between third and the fifth is 27 points, while Mercedes are 362 points away from the number 3.
It is therefore a good thing that the budget cap will be introduced in 2021 to bring the teams closer together technically, but this is not the whole solution. The tracks should also be a reflection of the balance we would like to see between engine capacity and racing skills. Therefore, Sakhir's Outer Ring wrongly puts a lot of emphasis on engine capacity, to the detriment of the focus on racing skills.