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6th
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From GMM
There were wheel-to-wheel battles throughout the field on every single lap of the Bahrain Grand Prix, this Sunday, but the jewel in the crown was the extended fight for victory between Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.
Hamilton has been on a hot streak this season, scoring two poles and then leading Rosberg to Mercedes' first 1-2 of the season last week in Malaysia. The German answered, Saturday, with a pole of his own ahead of Hamilton, setting up the table for an exciting race between the two at the Sakhir circuit.
Hamilton surprised Rosberg off the line to take the lead going into corner 1. He would maintain that lead most of the race, as his teammate ran a different strategy. Rosberg's gamble to save a set of soft tires for the last stint seemed to be paying off, as he found himself right behind Hamilton in the final phase of the race.
But despite being on the harder "medium" tire, the 2008 world champion managed to fend off every single one of Rosberg's attacks.
The battle between the two was so intense, team boss Paddy Lowe tried to impose team orders. But the feisty silver-wearing teammates ignored him, to everyone's delight.
"I think today was a day for the sport," said Rosberg, who although ultimately defeated nonetheless excitedly embraced Hamilton in celebration of a much-needed boost for F1.
The race reminded Hamilton of his karting days with Rosberg: "I was just saying to (Rosberg) today, there was a race we did years ago in... I don't know what year it was, in karting, our first race together.
"He was leading the whole way and in the last lap I overtook him and won the race. I thought today for sure he's going to do the same to me, and get me back. That's what was going through my head."
Race results* - Bahrain Grand Prix (round 3 of 19)
1 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes W05) - 57 laps 1.39'42"743
2 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes W05) - 1"085
3 - Sergio Perez (Force India VJM07-Mercedes) - 24"067
4 - Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull RB10-Renault) - 24"489
5 - Nico Hulkenberg (Force India VJM07-Mercedes) - 28"654
6 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB10-Renault) - 29"879
7 - Felipe Massa (Williams FW36-Mercedes) - 31"265
8 - Valtteri Bottas (Williams FW36-Mercedes) - 31"876
9 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F14-T) - 32"595
10 - Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari F14-T) - 33"462
11 - Daniil Kvyat (Toro Rosso STR9-Renault) - 41"342
12 - Romain Grosjean (Lotus E22-Renault) - 43"143
13 - Max Chilton (Marussia MR03-Ferrari) - 59"909
14 - Pastor Maldonado (Lotus E22-Renault) - 1'02"803
15 - Kamui Kobayashi (Caterham CT05-Renault) - 1'27"900
16 - Jules Bianchi (Marussia MR03-Ferrari) - 1 lap
17 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/29-Mercedes) - 2 laps
Retirements
Lap 40 - Kevin Magnussen
Lap 39 - Esteban Gutierrez
Lap 33 - Marcus Ericsson
Lap 18 - Jean-Eric Vergne
Lap 17 - Adrian Sutil
Drivers' championship
1.Rosberg 61; 2.Hamilton 50; 3.Hulkenberg 28; 4.Alonso 26; 5.Button, Vettel 23; 7.Magnussen 20; 8.Bottas 18; 9.Perez 16; 10.Ricciardo, Massa 12; 12.Raikkonen 7; 13.Vergne 4; 14.Kvyat 3.
Constructors' championship
1.Mercedes 111; 2.Force India-Mercedes 44; 3.McLaren-Mercedes 43; 4.Red Bull-Renault 35; 5.Ferrari 33; 6.Toro Rosso-Renault 7.
*Unofficial scoring
There were wheel-to-wheel battles throughout the field on every single lap of the Bahrain Grand Prix, this Sunday, but the jewel in the crown was the extended fight for victory between Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.
 |
| Start (Photo: WRi2) |
Hamilton has been on a hot streak this season, scoring two poles and then leading Rosberg to Mercedes' first 1-2 of the season last week in Malaysia. The German answered, Saturday, with a pole of his own ahead of Hamilton, setting up the table for an exciting race between the two at the Sakhir circuit.
Hamilton surprised Rosberg off the line to take the lead going into corner 1. He would maintain that lead most of the race, as his teammate ran a different strategy. Rosberg's gamble to save a set of soft tires for the last stint seemed to be paying off, as he found himself right behind Hamilton in the final phase of the race.
 |
| Ambiance (Photo: WRi2) |
But despite being on the harder "medium" tire, the 2008 world champion managed to fend off every single one of Rosberg's attacks.
The battle between the two was so intense, team boss Paddy Lowe tried to impose team orders. But the feisty silver-wearing teammates ignored him, to everyone's delight.
 |
| Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg (Photo: WRi2) |
"I think today was a day for the sport," said Rosberg, who although ultimately defeated nonetheless excitedly embraced Hamilton in celebration of a much-needed boost for F1.
The race reminded Hamilton of his karting days with Rosberg: "I was just saying to (Rosberg) today, there was a race we did years ago in... I don't know what year it was, in karting, our first race together.
 |
| Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton, Sergio Perez (Photo: WRi2) |
"He was leading the whole way and in the last lap I overtook him and won the race. I thought today for sure he's going to do the same to me, and get me back. That's what was going through my head."
Race results* - Bahrain Grand Prix (round 3 of 19)
1 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes W05) - 57 laps 1.39'42"743
2 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes W05) - 1"085
3 - Sergio Perez (Force India VJM07-Mercedes) - 24"067
4 - Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull RB10-Renault) - 24"489
5 - Nico Hulkenberg (Force India VJM07-Mercedes) - 28"654
6 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB10-Renault) - 29"879
7 - Felipe Massa (Williams FW36-Mercedes) - 31"265
8 - Valtteri Bottas (Williams FW36-Mercedes) - 31"876
9 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F14-T) - 32"595
10 - Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari F14-T) - 33"462
11 - Daniil Kvyat (Toro Rosso STR9-Renault) - 41"342
12 - Romain Grosjean (Lotus E22-Renault) - 43"143
13 - Max Chilton (Marussia MR03-Ferrari) - 59"909
14 - Pastor Maldonado (Lotus E22-Renault) - 1'02"803
15 - Kamui Kobayashi (Caterham CT05-Renault) - 1'27"900
16 - Jules Bianchi (Marussia MR03-Ferrari) - 1 lap
17 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/29-Mercedes) - 2 laps
 |
| Fernando Alonso, Ferrari F14-T (Photo: WRi2) |
Retirements
Lap 40 - Kevin Magnussen
Lap 39 - Esteban Gutierrez
Lap 33 - Marcus Ericsson
Lap 18 - Jean-Eric Vergne
Lap 17 - Adrian Sutil
Drivers' championship
1.Rosberg 61; 2.Hamilton 50; 3.Hulkenberg 28; 4.Alonso 26; 5.Button, Vettel 23; 7.Magnussen 20; 8.Bottas 18; 9.Perez 16; 10.Ricciardo, Massa 12; 12.Raikkonen 7; 13.Vergne 4; 14.Kvyat 3.
Constructors' championship
1.Mercedes 111; 2.Force India-Mercedes 44; 3.McLaren-Mercedes 43; 4.Red Bull-Renault 35; 5.Ferrari 33; 6.Toro Rosso-Renault 7.
*Unofficial scoring
 |
| Pit stop pre-action (Photo: WRi2) |