One race, one point

To those of you watching the opening round of the 2006 Formula One World Championship on television, the Red Bull Racing team must have looked its usual professional self with the team working away in precise and methodical manner from the grid and through the pit stops, all the way to the chequered flag.

And that was very definitely the case. But to see what was really behind the point that Christian Klien brought home on Sunday afternoon, you had to be at the Sakhir circuit through the nights leading up to the race.

A Formula One car evolves throughout the season and it’s probably true to say that ours was evolving on a daily basis this week, which meant that our mechanics had to do several “all-nighters,” a phrase that has nothing to do with Red Bull parties. Instead, mechanics often found themselves getting back to their hotel with just enough time to have a shower, a change of clothes, a quick sleep and then another bit of shut-eye on the half hour ride back to the track. True dedication and a degree of madness!

A point has rarely been so hard-won or so welcome and, as an added bonus, both drivers kept themselves out of trouble on Sunday, so the race cars are basically in good shape for the next grand prix in Malaysia in just seven days time.

The old boys in the press room were getting all nostalgic as they watched the race on television in the Media Centre – at their age, going out in the desert heat to watch at the side of the track could be bad for their health. At one point the message on the screens popped up, “Fastest Lap, Rosberg, Williams-Cosworth.” Yes, blonde bombshell Nico Rosberg did set the fastest lap on his race debut, something previously achieved by Jacques Villeneuve in 1996 and of course, Nico’s father Keke Rosberg took a Williams-Cosworth to the Championship win back in 1982.