Bahrain is a simple track to describe. A long straight, a big stop, a slow corner, full throttle again. That happens four times a lap.
So the setup has two jobs: get the car turned in the slow corners, and put the power down on the way out. This one does it with wings 4 and 7, a soft front end and a very stiff rear anti-roll bar. It is a time trial setup, saved with 10 kg of fuel.
F1 2019 Bahrain setup
| Setting | Front | Rear |
|---|---|---|
| Wing | 4 | 7 |
| Camber | -3.30 | -2.00 |
| Toe | 0.07 | 0.20 |
| Suspension | 1 | 4 |
| Anti-roll bar | 3 | 11 |
| Ride height | 1 | 3 |
| Tyre pressure | 23.4 psi | 21.5 psi |
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Fuel load | 10 kg |
| Differential on throttle | 55% |
| Differential off throttle | 60% |
| Brake pressure | 87% |
| Front brake bias | 55% |
In F1 2019 the wings, suspension, anti-roll bars and ride height all use a scale from 1 to 11.
This setup was collected for the site in 2022 from a fast time trial lap, like the rest of my F1 2019 setups. Use it as a base and adjust it with the table further down.
Why this setup works in Bahrain
The Bahrain International Circuit is 5.412 km long with 15 corners. Most of them are slow. Turn 1, turn 4, turn 8, turn 10 and turn 14 are all big stops followed by a traction zone. The only fast part is turn 5 to turn 7.
The wings. 4 and 7 is a medium level, not a low one. You could run less for the straights, but you would give it back in every traction zone. The rear wing is three clicks above the front on purpose. It keeps the rear tyres pressed into the track when you go to full throttle in second gear.
The differential. 55% on throttle, close to open. An open differential lets the inside rear wheel turn at its own speed, so the car does not snap when you pick up the throttle with steering lock still on. Off throttle it is 60%, a little more locked, to keep the rear calm in the long braking zones.
The geometry. This is where Bahrain is different. Camber is -3.30 at the front and -2.00 at the rear. Seventeen of my 21 setups for this game run the front at the menu minimum of -2.50, and seventeen run the rear at -1.00. This one does not. More camber gives the loaded tyre more grip in the middle of a long corner like turn 4 or turn 11. It costs you a little on the brakes and on traction, and it puts heat into the inside edge of the tyre.
I will be straight with you: this is the value I am least sure about on this page. Over one time trial lap it works. Over a stint I would take some of it out. More on that below.
The tyre pressures. 23.4 psi front and 21.5 psi rear. Middle of the range for this game. Nothing to fix here.
Soft front, stiff rear bar, low car
Springs at 1 and 4. The front is as soft as the game allows. A soft front lets the nose dive under braking, which puts weight on the front tyres and helps them bite when you turn in.
The anti-roll bars are 3 at the front and 11 at the rear. Eleven is the maximum. A stiff rear bar makes the rear of the car do more of the work in a corner, so the car rotates. In a hairpin like turn 8 or turn 10 that is what you want: the car points at the exit early and you can go to the throttle in a straight line.
The price is a rear end that moves if you are rough. If you turn in hard and lift at the same moment, it will come around. Be smooth with your hands and it stays with you.
Ride height is 1 and 3. Bahrain is a permanent circuit with a smooth surface and flat kerbs, so the car can sit low. A low car has less drag, and with four straights that counts. Japan, Germany and Russia are the only other tracks in my list where the front sits at 1.
What to change
One change at a time, three laps, then decide.
| Problem | Change | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The rear steps out on corner entry | Rear anti-roll bar 11 to 9 | A softer rear bar gives the rear tyres more grip in the turn |
| Wheelspin out of turn 1, turn 8 or turn 10 | On throttle differential 55% to 50% | Fully open is the gentlest setting on the inside rear tyre |
| Front tyres lock into turn 1 or turn 10 | Brake pressure 87% to 83% | Less peak pressure, easier to hold at the limit |
| Rear tyres overheat after a few laps | Rear camber -2.00 to -1.50 | Less camber spreads the load over the whole tyre |
| Understeer in turn 5 to turn 7 | Front wing 4 to 5 | More front downforce in the only fast part of the lap |
| Too slow at the end of the straights | Rear wing 7 to 6 | Less drag. You pay for it in traction |
| The car bottoms out on the kerbs | Front ride height 1 to 2 | One click is enough to clear them |
For a race
Bahrain is hard on the rear tyres. Every lap has five traction zones and the surface is rough on rubber. A time trial setup with a lot of camber and a rear bar at 11 will be quick for five laps and then slide. Before a 25% or 50% race I would change this:
- Camber to -2.90 and -1.50. Halfway back to the minimum. The tyre runs cooler and lasts longer.
- Rear anti-roll bar 11 to 9. A calmer rear end with a heavy car, and less sliding means less wear.
- Brake pressure 87% to 84%. With a full tank the car takes longer to stop and the fronts lock more easily.
- Fuel. The 10 kg is a time trial number. In a race the game sets the load for the distance.
On a pad, I would go to rear anti-roll bar 8 and brake pressure around 82%, and leave the rest. The stiff rear bar is the part of this setup that is hardest to manage with a thumbstick.
F1 2019 has manual ERS modes. In Bahrain there is no place to rest for long, so keep it simple: a lower mode from turn 5 to turn 10, and a high mode out of turn 10, turn 13 and turn 15, where a straight follows. For overtaking, save some battery for the main straight and use it with DRS into turn 1.
Where the lap time is in Bahrain
- Turn 1. The biggest stop of the lap, from top speed down to first or second gear. Brake in a straight line and take a late apex. Turn 2 and turn 3 follow at once, and the exit of that sequence leads onto a long straight.
- Turn 4. A wide right hander at the top of the hill. It invites you to go in too fast. Get the car turned early and use all of the exit kerb.
- Turn 5 to turn 7. The fast esses. One smooth line and a small lift for turn 6. With the rear bar at 11 the car changes direction well here, but do not throw it.
- Turn 8. A hairpin. Slow in, straight out. Nothing to gain on entry.
- Turn 9 and turn 10. The hardest corner on the track. You brake downhill while you are still turning left, and the inside front has no weight on it. It will lock. Brake a little earlier than you think and come off the pedal as you turn.
- Turn 11. A long uphill left. This is where the camber helps. Be patient with the throttle until you see the exit.
- Turn 13. The exit leads onto the back straight. A late apex is worth more than a brave entry.
- Turn 14 and turn 15. The last corner. Brake early, turn once, and be on the throttle before the apex of turn 15. The speed you carry here stays with you all the way to turn 1.
If you take one thing from this page: Bahrain is won on exits, not on entries. Four of the corners above lead onto a straight. Give up a metre on the way in and get the throttle down early.
Bahrain in 2019
The 2019 Bahrain Grand Prix was round 2 of 21, on 31 March, over 57 laps. Ferrari was fastest in all three practice sessions, and Charles Leclerc took the first pole position of his Formula 1 career in 1:27.866, about three tenths ahead of his teammate Sebastian Vettel.
Leclerc lost the lead at the start, took it back on lap 6 and pulled away. Then, on lap 46, his engine lost a cylinder. Lewis Hamilton passed him two laps later and won, with Valtteri Bottas second. Leclerc held on to third because both Renaults stopped with four laps to go and the race finished behind the safety car. He also set the fastest lap, a 1:33.411 on lap 38.
More F1 2019 setups
All the tracks are on the F1 2019 setups page. Bahrain is round 2. The round before it is the F1 2019 Australia setup and the next one is the F1 2019 China setup.
For the same track in other games, here are my F1 2018 Bahrain setup, my F1 2020 Bahrain setup and my F1 25 Bahrain setup. The values do not carry over from one game to the next.
FAQ
What is the best F1 2019 setup for Bahrain?
Front wing 4, rear wing 7, differential 55% on throttle and 60% off, suspension 1 and 4, anti-roll bars 3 and 11, ride height 1 and 3, camber -3.30 and -2.00, brake pressure 87% with 55% front bias, and tyres at 23.4 and 21.5 psi.
What wing levels should I run in Bahrain in F1 2019?
4 at the front and 7 at the rear. If you need more top speed, go to 6 at the rear, but you will have less traction out of the slow corners.
Can I use this Bahrain setup in a race?
Yes, with changes. Take the camber back to about -2.90 and -1.50, soften the rear anti-roll bar from 11 to 9 and lower the brake pressure to 84%. That protects the rear tyres.
Does this setup work with a controller?
Yes, but soften the rear. I would run the rear anti-roll bar at 8 and the brake pressure around 82%.
Why is the camber so high in this setup?
For grip in the long corners, turn 4 and turn 11 above all. It is the one track in my F1 2019 list this far from the minimum. If your tyres overheat, go back towards -2.50 and -1.00.
Where can I overtake in Bahrain in F1 2019?
Into turn 1 with DRS is the best place. Turn 4 and turn 11 are the next two, both at the end of a straight.
How long is the Bahrain International Circuit in F1 2019?
5.412 km with 15 corners. The real race is 57 laps.