Vettel wins Bahrain, Raikkonen car breaks a mechanic’s leg
Sebastian Vettel just held on to win a dramatic Bahrain Grand Prix from pole position on Sunday, while his Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen accidentally broke a team mechanic’s leg after a botched tire change cost him a podium spot.
Lewis Hamilton profited from Ferrari’s mishap to finish third behind his Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas.
Both Red Bulls failed, with Max Verstappen retiring moments after Daniel Ricciardo, facilitating Hamilton’s transition from ninth on the grid to the podium.
It could have been even better for Mercedes.
Bottas almost overtook Vettel on the last lap, but Vettel made a crucial blocking move and won by only 0.6 seconds.
It was the four-time F1 champion’s 49th career win on his 200th race start.
“The last five laps were really difficult,” Vettel said. “I thought Valtteri would catch me. I nursed the tires and it worked, but only just.”
Vettel followed up his win at the season-opening Australian GP two weeks ago by staging a nerve-racking rearguard. Although the German driver looked steady behind the wheel, his mind was racing almost as fast as Bottas’ Mercedes behind him.
“I was doing the maths in the car: 10 laps to go, with that pace he’s going to catch me,” a relieved Vettel said. “I just really tried to keep it as clean as possible.”
While it was a fine case of damage limitation for Hamilton, he now trails Vettel by 17 points after two races and has not won in his past five.
No driver has won the opening two races and then failed to win the title since Keke Rosberg in 1982.
Bottas, who is fighting to get a new contract for next year, proved a point after a disappointing eighth place in Melbourne.
“I knew there would be a chance at the end. But it wasn’t quite enough,” Bottas said.
“Being second with such a close margin is extremely disappointing.”
Red Bull had an awful race, with Ricciardo and Verstappen retiring within six laps. In an ironic twist, Red Bull’s feeder team Toro Rosso had arguably the result of the day — with French driver Pierre Gasly driving superbly to finish a careerbest fourth.
Ferrari totally botched Raikkonen’s second tire change. A rear wheel was not fitted properly and, in his haste to get back into the race, Raikkonen’s car ran over and broke a mechanic’s left leg.
“A bit sad because one of our mechanics got injured,” Vettel said.
The team said the mechanic, named only as Francesco, suffered a shinbone and fibula fracture.