LIVE TEXT COMMENTARY (all times GMT)
606: DEBATE
Your thoughts on the Bahrain Grand Prix
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By Mark Orlovac
0720: Some good chat from Ferrari chief Stefano Domenicali on our red button coverage. He said that it felt like Alonso “had been here for years” and had settled in well at the team. Revealingly, he also mentioned that his team were a little bit behind their main competitor. He did not mention who that was though.0715: Here’s your chance to get involved in this commentary. You can text on 81111 (UK) or +44 7786200666 (worldwide), tweet me on the very trendyTwitter](http://twitter.com/markorlovac)or use the606](http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A64788150)boards. I’ll be waiting.0706: Bruno Senna of the new Hispania Racing Team tells BBC pit lane reporter Holly Samos that the car of team-mate Karun Chandok is not likely to be ready for first practice. The team have not actually had any pre-season testing at all so far so that is not good news.BBC Sport’s Sarah Holt in Bahrain: "The intense desert heat is enough to make anything wilt and the atmosphere ahead of 2010’s season-opener felt a little subdued as Formula 1 made its first stop in Bahrain. A temperature check on day one clocked 29C and most people stayed hidden in the shade of the wide paddock -there weren’t quite the lively, back-to-school spirits experienced at 2009’s Australian curtain-raiser. But by mid-afternoon any heat-induced apathy had evaporated as four world champions - Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button - sat down to face a media throng. The quartet, favourites for the 2010 title along with Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber, posed for the cameras and suddenly a sense of excited anticipation about the competition ahead surged through the room. Schumacher sat front and centre, chewing gum with his gaze coolly fixed to the ground. McLaren team-mates Hamilton and Button giggled like teenagers on the back row while Alonso sat in splendid isolation to the left of Schumacher, who whispered in the ear of Ferrari driver Felipe Massa to his right each time a McLaren driver had the floor. Just who was trying to psyche who out on the eve of the brand new F1 season"0700: Lewis Hamilton is looking very chilled in the McLaren garage while team-mate Jenson Button slips into his car. As the light turns to green, a queue of cars forms at the end of the pit lane. The first car out on to the track is the Lotus of Jarno Trulli. We are go.0651: We’ll get a chance to see the drivers in action very soon when first practice starts at 0700 GMT. The pictures I’m getting are of a very sunny Bahrain, which is quite sickening after the freezing ride I had into work at half past five this morning. The streaming is just about to start at the top of this page. Awesome.0642: That should be enough to get you drooling in anticipation but just in case you need any more encouragement, we’ll mix in three new teams, add a revamped points system as well as sprinkling in some intriguing rule changes. Now that’s not too shabby is it I’ve even had a dream about Rubens Barrichello this week. Is that sad0638: Morning all, and a very warm welcome to one of the most eagerly-anticipated Formula 1 seasons for a long time. We have four, count them - four world champions on the grid, two of them racing for McLaren, Alonso back in a competitive car as well as the return of some bloke called Schumacher. Never heard of him. Is he any good0630: It’s been 163 days since Fernando Alonso signed for Ferrari, 145 days since Jenson Button won the 2009 world title, 79 days since Michael Schumacher confirmed his return to the sport and approximately 65 days since my eldest son asked me if doing this job would lead to a meet up with Lewis Hamilton. The waiting is almost over. Welcome to F1 2010.