Formula 1: Hamilton wins Bahrain GP – Vettel knocked off

Record world champion Lewis Hamilton won the start of the Formula 1 season and thus set the first sign of strength. The Mercedes driver won the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday after a thrilling duel in front of challenger Max Verstappen in the Red Bull and his team-mate Valtteri Bottas.

Sebastian Vettel, who had been moved to the end of the grid after a disappointing qualifying, finished the first race for Aston Martin in 15th place. Debutant Mick Schumacher finished 16th in the defeated Haas car.

The 22-year-old won the team-internal duel with the Russian Nikita Masepin, who was eliminated in the first round.

Formula 1, Bahrain GP: result

Formula 1, Bahrain GP: The race in the live ticker for reading

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Goodbye

Max Verstappen could not take the win at the season opener. However, the Red Bull driver shows that his team has moved closer to Mercedes and that exciting races are still waiting for us in the 2021 season. It continues from April 16 to 18 in Imola. We’ll be there live again and wish you a nice Sunday!

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Vettel disappointed

Sebastian Vettel started the new year with high hopes, but the frustration should outweigh the first weekend. After a yellow-card penalty and starting from 20th place, he had to risk a lot and was able to catch up first. But then the Heppenheimer made a mistake in a duel with Ocon and drove the competitor into the back. There was then a 10-second penalty. So in the end there were no points in race number one with Aston Martin. Mick Schumacher ended up in last place behind Vettel. He spun in the first few laps, but then drove a solid race and was able to collect important racing kilometers.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Good race for McLaren, Tsunoda in the points

McLaren can look back on a good race. The team was able to get fourth and seventh in the first race through Norris and Ricciardo and thus also had Ferrari under control. At AlphaTauri, rookie Yuki Tsunoda stood out, scoring points in ninth place in the first race. Teammate Gasly didn’t finish the race.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Mercedes strikes back

At first it looked as if Max Verstappen could bring home the race victory safely, but Mercedes struck back with a clever pit stop strategy and already brought Hamilton past Verstappen after the first stop. He was able to catch up at the end, challenged Hamilton and even passed briefly. The team then asked him to leave the position to Hamilton again, as he had overtaken him off the track. On the pit radio, Verstappen was not very happy about it: “You should have let me drive. I could have easily driven out the five seconds!” He is responding to a possible penalty by the race management if he had not let Hamilton past again. For his part, in the winner’s interview, Hamilton speaks of one of the “toughest races he has had in a long time.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: End of the race

The race at the Bahrain International Circuit is over and the rest of the field is through too. Lando Norris finished fourth, ahead of Sergio Pérez and Charles Leclerc. Daniel Ricciardo, Carlos Sainz, Yuki Tsunoda and Lance Stoll complete the top ten. Vettel turns 15, Mick Schumacher finished the race in 16.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Lewis Hamilton wins the Bahrain Grand Prix race

Lewis Hamilton won’t let the butter be removed from bread! With a wafer-thin lead over Max Verstappen, he is the first to cross the finish line. Third was Valtteri Bottas, who grabbed the best race lap.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Last lap is running

It’s the last lap, then it is clear who will win the first race of the season. The advantage is currently with Lewis Hamilton!

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Verstappen does not come close

After the unsuccessful maneuver, Max Verstappen has great difficulty setting another really tough attack against Hamilton. He is 0.6 seconds behind.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Valtteri Bottas pit stop

While the battle for victory flares up at the front, Valtteri Bottas pits again and picks up fresh tires. He wants to hunt for the extra point for the fastest race lap.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Verstappen gives back space

Max Verstappen is giving his seat back to Lewis Hamilton as he gained an advantage in overtaking.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Overtaking maneuver by Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen continues to apply pressure and there is the next attack in turn four. But with that he comes out very far and leaves the track.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Verstappen tries it!

“I don’t have a tail,” complained Hamilton shortly beforehand over the radio. Shortly afterwards, he has Verstappen right next to him.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Five laps remain

Five laps remain and in the meantime Verstappen has pushed his way into the DRS window to Hamilton. It won’t be long now, then the attack against Hamilton will come!

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Verstappen is coming soon!

Now everything is open again! Lewis Hamilton brakes himself and as a result Max Verstappen now comes really close! But can he still set the attack?

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: It is pushing together

Max Verstappen has not yet lost the win and has moved up to Lewis Hamilton within 2.3 seconds. Things could get really exciting again soon!

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: investigation against Vettel

The race management has just announced that an official investigation has been launched into the incident between Ocon and Vettel.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Carlos Sainz overtakes

While Max Verstappen worked his way up to Lewis Hamilton at the front, Carlos Sainz took eighth place a little further back against Lance Stroll. So far, not really the weekend that Aston Martin was hoping for.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Pit radio Sebastian Vettel

Vettel then complains that Ocon would have changed the line. However, little of this can be seen in the repetitions. Antonio Giovinazzi passed by because of the incident.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Sebastian Vettel’s accident

Between Sebastian Vettel and Esteban Ocon it crashes in turn 1! Repetitions show that he drove into the rear of the competitor. Both can continue, but at least with Vettel you can see a small damage to the front wing.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Sergio Pérez overtakes

Pérez then has an easy time on the straights. Without resistance, he overtook Ricciardo’s McLaren and is now sixth.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Pérez catches up

Sergio Pérez has reduced his gap to Daniel Ricciardo to 0.9 seconds and will certainly give everything in the final laps to maybe take sixth place.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Verstappen is getting closer

Max Verstappen is currently catching up with great strides in the direction of Hamilton. There are just 6.1 seconds left between the two drivers.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Vettel in twelfth place

Sebastian Vettel is currently driving away from the points. 2.8 seconds are missing to Raikkonen in front of him. It will also be exciting to see whether the Heppenheimer pits again or tries to stop.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Max Verstappen pit stop

Max Verstappen pits, makes the second stop and falls behind Hamilton again. But he has fresh tires for the showdown. So it remains exciting!

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Yuki Tsunoda overtook him

While the one rookie with Schumacher is currently driving a lonely race away from the cameras, Yuki Tsunoda can once again excel with a faster car. He squeezes past Russell.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Pit radio Max Verstappen

Verstappen asks his team to leave him on the track while the pace is good. But he definitely has to come to the pits again. Because so far he has only driven one mixture of tires.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Many already at the second stop

Many drivers have already made their second stop in the meantime. Only Verstappen, Sainz, Russell and Vettel have not yet returned to the pits.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Lando Norris pit stop

Lando Norris pitted in the meantime and took the hardest tire with him for the last few laps. Yuki Tsunoda also went to his second tire swap.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Fernando Alonso gave up

Fernando Alonso will not see the finish line in the first race after his return. He had to end the race with a brake defect and was pushed backwards into the pits.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Pit radio Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen is informed via radio that he can use the run-off zone in turn 4 more generously. Mercedes was already doing this. “How can that be legal?” He asks. Before the race, the race management had been informed that violations of the track boundary would not be punished at this point. Provided that the advantage that you get is not too great.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Valtteri Bottas pit stop

Valtteri Bottas is called to the pits. But there is no such thing as a perfect stop. The front right tire change takes a really long time and in the end Bottas comes back on track in fifth place behind Leclerc. Ricciardo lurk behind him.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Vettel fights his way

While Schumacher is still stuck in last position, Vettel has now moved up a few places again. Vettel is currently 15.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Pit radio Valtteri Bottas

“We brought Lewis to the pits. Otherwise, Verstappen could have done an undercut,” Valtteri Bottas is informed via radio. “We will stay outside longer,” it says in relation to the Finn’s strategy.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Lewis Hamilton’s pit stop

Lewis Hamilton responds with an early, second pit stop. As before, there is once again the toughest mix for the world champion. Stroll was also on his second stop.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Verstappen catches up

It’s getting tighter at the top! Max Verstappen now seems to have an advantage over Lewis Hamilton and has reduced the gap to just under two seconds.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Sergio Pérez overtakes

Sergio Pérez is on the way up again. In a close but fair duel, he takes eighth place from Carlos Sainz.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Sebastian Vettel’s pit stop

Sebastian Vettel is released and can now finally come to the pits! For the next stint there is the hardest tire compound. Due to the late stop, he is handed back to 17th place in front of Mick Schumacher.

Formula 1 – Bahrain-GP: What is the front?

At the top, Lewis Hamilton still holds the lead and can currently keep his gap to Verstappen at 3.6 seconds. Valtteri Bottas follows another 3.7 seconds behind with a good buffer to Norris.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Yuki Tsunoda overtook him

Sebastian Vettel is still trying to fight his way through with his first set of tires and is now easy prey. Youngster Tsunoda doesn’t stay long at the Aston Martin.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Kimi Raikkonen overtakes

Fernando Alonso seems to have pushed his tires to their limits in a duel with Vettel. Kimi Raikkonen uses DRS and passes the competitor without resistance.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: What is Schumacher doing?

Of course, we don’t want to deserve Mick Schumacher’s eyes on his debut. The rookie is currently only at the bottom of the field and will probably only catch up if the competition makes mistakes. The driver in front of him is 18.9 seconds short.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Now it’s back

Vettel had been able to defend himself against the competition for a long time, but after a brake, it goes back a few positions.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Carlos Sainz overtakes

Carlos Sainz takes advantage of a mistake by Alonso brutally. The Spaniard first pulls past Vettel and then also past the Spaniard and takes eighth place. Shortly afterwards, Vettel also passes Alonso again.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Sebastian Vettel overtakes

Without resistance, Vettel does not want to lose his position. Alonso initially pulls past, but the Aston Martin driver counters it and passes the Spanish competitor again. It’s about eighth place. Behind it, Sainz is also getting closer and closer.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Sergio Pérez pit stop

Sergio Pérez pits and goes from medium to hard. He was already in the pits relatively early in the race.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Vettel lost

Sebastian Vettel is meanwhile in a lost position. The German was not yet in the pits and with his used tires and lap times of 1:38 he is currently being handed back again and again. He is currently in eighth place.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Valtteri Bottas overtakes

Sergio Pérez tries to fight back, but in the end Valtteri Bottas has an easy game and passes the Red Bull rival on Turn 11 without any difficulty. He will now give everything to catch up with Verstappen quickly.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Max Verstappen pit stop

Now Max Verstappen comes to the pits. Unlike Mercedes, Red Bull is pulling on the medium again. Hamilton overtakes the Dutchman and is the new leader in the race!

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Valtteri Bottas pit stop

Valtteri Bottas pits and the Finn now has hard tires too. He’s back on track in fourth position. Verstappen and Vettel were not yet in the pits.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Carlos Sainz pit stop

Carlos Sainz, meanwhile, is the next to pits his car and does a tire change. With Medium, he’s back on track in eleventh place. For his part, Sergio Pérez has already worked his way up to fourth after the many stops.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Hamilton puts pressure

Lewis Hamilton is currently putting a lot of pressure on the fresh tires and has already worked out a good buffer over the last lap. According to calculations, Verstappen would now fall behind the British after a stop.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Lewis Hamilton’s pit stop

Shortly afterwards, the time has come and Lewis Hamilton comes to his pit stop. He changes the medium for the hardest mixture and comes back on track in third place. Ricciardo was inside too. For him it’s back on track behind Alonso.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Pit radio Lewis Hamilton

Even with Lewis Hamilton, it will probably not be long before he comes to his tire change. “Okay, Lewis. It won’t be long now. Unlock!” Is the radio message to the British.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: pit stops at Norris and Leclerc

Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc are the next drivers to turn into the pits to exchange the first set of tires. Antonio Giovinazzi was already there and takes the hard with him to the next rounds.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Fernando Alonso’s pit stop

The Formula 1 returner was now in the pits and was one of the first drivers in the field to make his first stop. He started on the soft and is now getting the medium tire fitted.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: the gaps are getting bigger

The gaps at the top are now increasing. Verstappen and Hamilton are still relatively close together, but behind them it has pulled apart. Bottas is 4.6 seconds short of his teammate. Norris is 7.1 seconds behind Bottas.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Sergio Pérez overtakes

Sergio Pérez, on the other hand, is fully on schedule after the problems in the formation lap and the start from the pit lane. The Mexican has just passed Ocon and finished 13th.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Vettel dropped back again

Sebastian Vettel fell back a few positions after the restart. At the moment he is in 15th place behind Tsunoda in the AlphaTauri.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Lando Norris overtakes

Half a lap ago, Lando Norris complained that Leclerc had pushed him off the track in a duel. Shortly afterwards, however, he started to overtake before Turn 1 and passed. Leclerc tries the counterattack, but so far without success.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Norris puts pressure on

Valtteri Bottas passed earlier and Charles Leclerc is under pressure again in the next lap. This time from Lando Norris. Again and again the McLaren driver tries to overtake and makes it clear that he wants to pass.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: This is how it works at Verstappen

Valtteri Bottas receives a radio report that there are problems with the differential at Verstappen. But so far nothing has been felt and the Dutchman slams the new best time.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Valtteri Bottas overtakes

Valtteri Bottas takes advantage of this immediately and with the help of DRS passes Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari right away. Gasly, for his part, has now been in the pits and has changed the wing and tires.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Race reopened

The virtual safety car has been canceled and you can now drive at full speed everywhere again.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Virtual Safety Car

There is no time to breathe! After the incident at the start of the race, the restart is not without consequences. Pierre Gasly is on the road with a defective front wing.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: restart has taken place

The restart has taken place and once again Max Verstappen won’t let the butter be taken off his bread here. He stays relaxed in front of Hamilton. Leclerc and Bottas can also hold their positions.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Safety Car comes in

At the end of this lap, the safety car will come back to the pits. So Max Verstappen is now setting the pace again.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: This is what it looks like

On the track, Max Verstappen is in the lead ahead of Lewis Hamilton. Charles Leclerc is third ahead of Bottas and Gasly. Vettel, who has already fought his way to 14th place, also got off to a good start. Schumacher is 18.

Formel 1 – Bahrain-GP: Safety Car

The safety car comes out. Mazepin hit the back of the field on his debut and there are now some debris lying around.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: start race

The lights are off and the first race of the 2021 season is on! Max Verstappen can maintain his lead at the top and goes first into Turn 1. Behind it, Lecerc pushed past Bottas.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Another introductory lap

Pérez has meanwhile arrived in the pit lane, from where he will start right away. The rest of the field is meanwhile driving another introductory lap.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Problem with Pérez!

This was not how Pérez had imagined his first start in the Red Bull. The Red Bull slows down and has to park at Turn 12. Fortunately, he gets his car started again. Now it goes back to the pits at low speed.

Formula 1 – Bahrain GP: Introductory lap is underway

Led by Max Verstappen, the field starts moving and completes the introductory lap. In the top ten, the top 3 and Gasly start on the medium. Apart from the top ten, Pérez, Giovinazzi, Tsunoda, Räikkönen as well as Schumacher, Mazepin and Vettel also have these tires.

Before start:

The sun is setting in Bahrain and the track temperature has cooled to 30 degrees. At the start of the race, the air temperature is a mild 20 degrees. The wind could be difficult for the drivers, as it is much stronger today than in the last few days.

Before start:

In midfield, AlphaTauri showed that they couldn’t be written off at the start of the season. The car has been going well since the first practice session and Pierre Gasly will start the race from fifth today. Gasly’s team-mate, rookie Yuki Tsunoda, was a little unhappy after qualifying because, unlike Gasly, he couldn’t play the tire poker in Q2 and was thrown out on medium in 13th. The youngster could still make it into the top ten. It is also important to keep an eye on McLaren. Ricciardo and Norris are starting from positions six and seven and have already delivered some strong training sessions.

Before start:

Mercedes has already identified the problem for the big deficit, because the Silver Arrow loses especially in the fastest corners. The aerodynamic problems can be traced back to a rule change that affects the previous Mercedes design concept, which relied on little proximity to the ground on the rear axle, more clearly. This is also supported by the fact that Aston Martin is also struggling. They also drive with a smaller angle of attack on the rear axle. Even in the engine, you can still see large reserves at Mercedes.

Before start:

“We were already quite far behind, so it doesn’t make any difference. Hopefully we can come up with something clever for the strategy so that we can move forward and enjoy it on the way,” said Vettel when asked about the penalty.

Before start:

For Sebastian Vettel it gets even worse. The Aston Martin driver was moved five places back for ignoring yellow flags. There are also three penalty points on the FIA’s account. For Vettel it is the first penalty points, from twelve points the driver is banned from a race.

Before start:

Meanwhile, it looks worse for the German pilots. Both Mick Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel were eliminated in Q1 and will have to roll up the field from behind. We are of course keeping a close eye on this.

Before start:

After yesterday’s qualifying, Max Verstappen goes into today’s race as the favorite. The Red Bull driver had been convincing all weekend and then grabbed pole position. The victory today should only go to him.

Before start:

Hello and welcome to our live ticker of the race at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Formula 1, Bahrain GP: Race today on TV and livestream

You can watch the Bahrain Grand Prix live on Sky. The pay TV channel shows the entire race live and in full on the new Sky Sport F1 channel.

Sky customers can also follow the race in the live stream. This is possible via SkyGo. If you don’t have a Sky subscription, you can purchase a SkyTicket.

Another option is ServusTV . The Austrian broadcaster is also showing the race live and can also be received in Germany – both via cable and satellite.

Formula 1, Bahrain GP: An overview of the qualifying results