Home to every Bahrain Grand Prix, the 5.412 km Sakhir circuit is known for the abrasive nature of its track surface. It is also particularly dirty, when track action starts on Friday, as it is exposed to sand blowing in from the desert. To go well at this track, you need excellent traction, because the layout features a succession of long straights and relatively slow corners and therefore, good top speed on the straights is the aim. The track is also hard on brakes, which usually start getting critical in the second part of the race. The race begins under a hot sun and ends under spotlights. Scuderia Ferrari has won here four times, with Michael Schumacher, Felipe Massa (twice) and Fernando Alonso, the latter triumphing on his debut with the Maranello team.

It’s a favourite overtaking spot, given that getting round it involves braking from 300 to 60 km/h.

In the last part of the lap, it is vital not to make the slightest error: you need to exit Turn 13 just right so as not to allow those behind to close up, because on the main straight, the DRS means an attack is always a possibility.