Formula One Returns

I can't believe I almost missed this, but the first Grand Prix of 2006 is about to start in Bahrain. Schumacher has taken pole and is joined by his team mate, Brazilian Felipe Massa. Jesson Button (GBR) and reigning champion Fernando Alonso (Spain) are on the second row.

Kimi Raikkonen became the first victim of Formula One's new qualifying system and will start from the back of the grid. The six slowest cars are eliminated after each of two 15-minute sessions before a top-10 shoot-out determines the front of the grid.

Raikkonen suffered a suspension failure at high speed, pitching him into a spin which almost resulted in a roll as his stricken car bounced over a trailing tyre. He had yet to set a lap time in the first knock-out session, and his McLaren was too damaged to resume after a red flag.

Here are the F1 dates for 2006: