A gearbox problem on lap 43 put pay to Mark Webber’s realistic hopes of a points-scoring finish for Red Bull Racing in the 57-lap Bahrain Grand Prix.
The 30-year old Australian had run much of the race in eighth position and was working his way into seventh after his second pit stop when he was forced to retire from the race. The team’s disappointment was compounded by the retirement of team-mate David Coulthard, a few laps earlier with driveshaft failure.
Webber also experienced a repeat of the fuel flap problem which affected him in Melbourne; the flap failing to open when he pitted for the first time on lap 18 and then staying open for his second stint of the race. Eagle-eyed TV viewers would have seen the engine cover winglet above the fuel flap peel off during the race, demonstrating the air disturbance created by the malfunctioning flap.
Weber made a clean start from eighth on the grid, maintaining his position and even having a sniff at going around the outside of Renault’s Giancarlo Fisichella in turns 1 and 2. A collision between Jenson Button and Scott Speed later on lap one saw the race under the control of the Safety Car for two laps but once the race went back to green, Webber kept Fisichella within his sights, while at the same time pulling away from the Italian’s team-mate, Heikki Kouvalainen.
By lap 11, Fisichella and Webber had both caught BMW’s Robert Kubica and spent the rest of the first stint locked in a three car chase. Webber pitted on lap 18 followed by Fisichella a lap later. However, the fuel flag problem cost Webber some five seconds and probably the chance to jump Fisichella in the stop. As it was, Webber ended up behind Fisichella again in eighth.
Meanwhile, having opted for a light fuel load after his qualifying woes yesterday, Coulthard was making impressive progress from the rear of the field, and by lap 28 had passed Webber. For the first time this season, both Red Bull Racing cars were running strongly in the top 10 in eighth and ninth positions, and a lap later this become seventh and eight when both cars passed Fisichella; Webber doing so around the outside at turn four.
However, the team was dealt a double blow a few laps later. Coulthard made his second scheduled pit stop on lap 35 but was only able to complete a further lap before limping back into the pits with a driveshaft problem. Webber pitted from seventh position three laps later and although he rejoined in 12th, he quickly made up position as others around him made their final stops. However, all his hard work came undone when, on lap 43, he suffered a gearbox failure and ground to a halt at the side of the track.
“My first stint went okay,” said Webber afterwards, “I got a good start but then got held up by Robert Kubica as he was going longer than us in the first stint, and Fisichella. Things started to turn pear-shaped at the first stop – I lost five seconds when the fuel flap stayed shut and once the guys managed to prise it open, it stayed that way for all the next stint – it made the car a lot trickier to drive.
“I passed Giancarlo on the same lap as DC overtook me, so we were both running really well and looking good for points. The guys were able to sort out the fuel-flap problem at my second stop but then I had a gearbox problem which ended my race.”
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