Deutsche Welle (English edition)

Lewis Hamilton wins Bahrain Grand Prix

In a thrilling and tactical battle, Max Verstappen couldn't overcome Lewis Hamilton in the final laps of the race. The Briton sealed the first win of the 2021 season and his third consecutiv­e victory in Bahrain.

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A brilliant defensive performanc­e from Lewis Hamilton saw him hold off the charge of Max Verstappen and seal top spot in the opening race of the season.

In a back-and-forth contest that ultimately turned on the teams' pit strategy, Verstappen looked set to overcome defending championHa­milton in the final laps.

And with three laps to go, Verstappen overtook Hamilton but had to allow the Briton back in front having gone off track to overtake — a controvers­ial decision given drivers were told track limits at Turn Four were not to be enforced during the race.

Bahrain GP Podium

Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) Max Verstappen (Red Bull) Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)

Bahrain GP Fastest Lap

Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) — 1:32.090

Quote of the day at the Bahrain GP

"There is definitely an issue so you better f****** find it." — Max Verstappen on his early car problems.

Drive of the day at the Bahrain GP

Sergio Perez ( Red Bull) — Another season, another great performanc­e by the Mexican. Having struggled in qualifying, Perez forced another warm-up lap and had to start from the pit lane after his car cut out during the first formation lap. Despite that, he raced his way through the field as has become his style. A fifth-placed finish was his reward.

Best team performanc­e at the Bahrain GP

Mercedes — Although they have long been the gold stan

dard in the sport, they looked second best to Red Bull all weekend long. To seal top and third as a team was a testament to their performanc­e. Hamilton drove brilliantl­y to win and Bottas overcame a slow pit stop after 31 laps to seal the final podium spot and the fastest lap.

Best of the rest at the Bahrain GP

Although he finished second last, Sebastian Vettel had fun on the track and both McLarens looked fast. Off all the debutants, Yuki Tsunoda in the AlphaTauri impressed the most, claiming ninth and two points in his first race. Both Haas struggled, Mick Schumacher finished last and teammate Nikita Mazepin spun out on the opening lap.

Current drivers' standings

Hamilton (Mercedes) — 25 points

Verstappen (Red Bull) — 18 Bottas (Mercedes) — 16 Norris (McLaren) — 12 Perez (Red Bull) — 10

Qualifying roundup

Max Verstappen edged out champion Lewis Hamilton by 0.39 seconds on his final qualifying lap to claim a fourth career pole position and secure a strong start for his Red Bull team on Saturday.

Hamilton will start in second, with his Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas in third and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in fourth. With Mercedes having dominated the sport in recent years, the Red Bull car has been tipped by many observers to pose a serious threat this season, particular­ly with a driver as talented as Verstappen at the wheel.

But the two Germans in the field will start some way behind. Sebastian Vettel, who endured a tough season with Ferrari last time out was among the five drivers eliminated from Q1 and starts 18th for Aston Martin.

One spot back from him, Michael Schumacher's son, Mick Schumacher, starts from 19th at the track where his father won

the inaugural race in 2004.

What they said

Verstappen: "We had a good week of testing. There are no guarantees but it's been great so far, really enjoyable to drive. ... The car has been steady on the short and long runs, we have a good car. We need a good, clean start."

Hamilton: "I absolutely gave it everything I had, but unfortunat­ely it wasn't good enough. There's always more, but it was the best I could do, I got everything I could from the car."

The course

The Bahrain Internatio­nal Circuit is a 5,412-kilometer course that presents opportunit­ies for overtaking, especially in the start-finish straight.

The hot weather often a significan­t factor in Bahrain and sand has proved a big issue on the desert track. The race has been run in the evenings since 2014.

 ??  ?? New Haas driver Nikita Mazepin spins into trouble during qualifying
New Haas driver Nikita Mazepin spins into trouble during qualifying
 ??  ?? Lewis Hamilton got his season off to the best possible start
Lewis Hamilton got his season off to the best possible start

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