Do we seriously have to discuss basics every once a while?
No problem, let's do it again. Every track requires a certain base setup for every car. It depends on the
tyre compound range brought for the venue (first and foremost), type of corners, track surface, amount of bumps, kerb height, amount of kerb riding, ride height etc. Gauging the influence of track temperature and getting the on-track setup to cover it is part of the work done over the weekend. On-track setup that goes outside the pre-determined parameter window (camber, tyre pressures, toe angles, numerous damper and spring settings, etc) will cause more trouble than good more often than not - graining, excessive pickup, excessive plank wear.
If the suspension is inherently designed to stress and heat up the tyres less, it will be the feature of the car in all conditions. This is not something track-specific setup can fully compensate - because this means you go outside the window for one or more parameters and it will screw the car up. You can't use stiffer springs and decrease the camber - this reduces contact patch because the car will roll more and of the patch.
The harder the compound, the more heat it requires to get into the window. Under the window there's less grip available and if you drive to the limit of available grip (and not overdrive) your tyre will last longer but you will be slower. In the window the grip is optimal and degradation is a bit higher. Over the window the grip can drop suddenly and deg is much higher still.
Why does Jeddah get the softest range in spite of high-speed corners and chicanes which heat up the tyre? Because the surface is very smooth and does not bring too much energy into soft tyres and the race is driven in the night when temperatures are lower. Why does Bahrain get the hardest compound range? Because the surface is very rough and there's lots of hard braking and hard acceleration.
Pirelli tyres have a very small window and consequences for leaving it are instant. This is by design, required since way back in 2011 to improve the show by making it much harder to design a car that will hit the right window on every track and all conditions. Red Bull doesn't make it work perfectly every single time, but right now they have a downforce advantage (and therefore aero efficiency advantage) that covers them almost every time.
Why does McLaren come alive in Q and cold right now? Because the car heats up the tyres quickly, which is especially important when running on Hards. Today the conditions were perfect for Norris' and Max' setups, Alonso was too aggressive with his setup and Ferrari were too conservative. Maybe they could have been more aggressive, maybe not. Vasseur suggests they could have qualified further ahead, so maybe they could have gone for a more aggressive setup. In the end it was a difficult weekend and not even Red Bull had at least one car on podium in every race so far.
An example of totally ignoring any factors whatsoever. Black and white “analysis”.
