Bahrain night race

[Chazmando]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/25155294

The 2014 Bahrain GP will be raced under floodlights, with an Abu-Dhabi timescale (Late afternoon-nightfall).

They are trialing the floodlights at the WEC event.

Any thoughts guys?

[Peter Mallett]

For a start its an hour ahead of Abu Dhabi. Secondly,I doubt that it will make any difference to the event although there may be the possibility that it'll be too damp or cold for the tyres.

[TheNo1F1Fan]

It could have a lotsa lights turned on during the race,but I'm not sure about the practice and the qualifying.

[ScotsBrutesFan]

The WEC Race ran with less than 50% of the lighting o, so that the drivers still had to use their headlights.

With the lights on Full I think it'll look very much like the Qatar MotoGP, great on the helicopter shots showing the Oasis of light - excuse the pun.

But when it comes down to actual racing and race cameras I doubt it'll make a huge difference.

[JacobP]

I don't understand the point of this change. The daytime Bahrain GP looks just fine as is on TV. What's the reason?

[chillibowl]

I would think a better tv time slot for the western audience.

[Bandicoot17]

Better for fans at the event too as it should be considerably cooler compared to the daytime slot.

[Gingers4Justice]

Think it's just to celebrate 10 years since the first Bahrain GP. That's what they're saying.

Despite the lights only being on at 50%, the WEC drivers said you could drive the track without headlights on.

Not sure if I liked it with the sportscars. Floodlights are unnecessary. But it might look quite cool for the F1 race.

[wolfhound]

Originally Posted by JacobP

I don't understand the point of this change. The daytime Bahrain GP looks just fine as is on TV. What's the reason?

Its so the empty grandstands won't be seen on TV.

[cerdic]

Gawd, not another one. I really don't get the 'spectacle' that night races are supposed to be. They always look cold, hard, garish and glare-y to me!

[Moneyseeker]

It's a good job that F1 doesn't care about PR because if the sport wasn't already seen as greedy, elitist, out of touch and frankly bad for the environment already, making yet another venue floodlight the circuit so that the race is a better time for TV viewers in Europe is the final insult!

Particularly as FOM has little interest in the races in Europe and can't wait to replace them with ever more far flung venues.

[Gingers4Justice]

It's nothing to do with viewers in Europe, I'm sure. The race only starts an hour earlier than usual for the European viewers. That's not a problem.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

It's nothing to do with viewers in Europe, I'm sure. The race only starts an hour earlier than usual for the European viewers. That's not a problem.

Sounds like a bit of a gimmick, in order to spice up a rather dull race.

[FordCosworthPanoz]

People like to forget that funnily enough despite being in one of the dullest locations possible the Bahrain Grand Prix layout puts on some of the best racing and non-DRS overtaking in F1.