The Live Blog is here ! Follow the updates from the First Free Practice session and join in the discussion ! Thanks to Keith from F1Fanatic for putting this togehter !

The Live Blog has now closed, you can replay the discussion and comments on this practice session inside the post. Next live blog will be from Bahrain Saturday Free Practice.

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F1Wolf

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The Bahrain Grand Prix is just around a corner and perhaps for next few days we can focus on racing instead of … well we all know whom .

The last race in Malaysia was the 10th Malaysian F1 Grand Prix, Bahrain is celebrating its 5th anniversary this year. A look back to previous four races (scroll down to the bottom of this post) reveals that only Renault and Ferrari managed to win this race. It is hard to see Renault to get to the top of the podium this year. But Ferrari would be my top favourite for this race. Their performance in Malaysia suggests that Melbourne might have been just a weekend off for Ferrari. Unlikely all the rest of the field Ferrari (along with Toyota) tested in Bahrain during the winter and that should be a an advantage for them. It however remains to be seen how Felipe Massa handles the car without traction control on a dusty and sandy track … The fact that he plans to use his old engine and not to waste a new one suggests he might be again thinking about early retirement from the race (ooops, looks like am still in April 1st mood )

McLaren did not have the best of weekends in Malaysia and BMW Saubers seemed to have matched their race pace. For no particular reason I expect McLaren to be closer to Ferrari than they were 2 weeks ago but still behind them. BMW Saubers will try again to squeeze between Ferraris and McLarens. They are obviously permanently on alert to capitalize on every mistake any of the top four cars make.

The midfield will be close again but I suspect that Toyota may have another good weekend. They are the surprise package of 2008 so far and their winter tests on this track should not do them too much harm. Williams had disapointing weekend in Malaysia and blamed it on new track surface in Sepang. Well, perhaps the dessert sand will suit them better. The fight to get to Q3 should be fierce again with Red Bull, Renault, Honda and Toro Rosso all eyeing the top 10 on the starting grid.

Force India’s ambitions are smaller, for now, Q2 is their goal, yet again …Fisi has been close twice this year, perhaps it will be his lucky day. Super Aguri will again be simply happy to be there.

The rain might mix everything up though, if it ever comes. This is what weather people have to say about Bahrain this weekend:

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F1Wolf

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