The Bahrain Grand Prix, race number 999 for Formula 1 first night race for the 2019 season and the first race on pole for the young prodigy at Ferrari, Charles Leclerc. With windy conditions and cold temperatures making places at the start counted more than ever and with ambitious drivers ready to make their mark.
The race started with Vettel making a lunge for the top spot. The first incident of the race happened soon after as Grosjean and Stroll scuffled, with both of the drivers having to pit later for damages. Lando Norris of McLaren went wide and had give up places to oncoming drivers, he went from P9 to P15. His teammate, the Spaniard, Carlos Sainz passed Red Bull's Max Verstappen but Verstappen soon hit back and took his position back at Lap 2.
Bottas locksup at Turn 2 as Leclerc and Hamilton pass. Norris passes Kvyat and Albon of Toro Rosso in Lap 3 as Charles Leclerc sets the fastest lap. Lap 4 and Sainz tries to pass Verstappen but has to back off as the attempt leaves him with a broken front wing. Lap 5 Charles closes gap to Vettel to half sec and passes him in Lap 6. Raikkonen, Gasly and Albon pit in Lap 10 with Kimi opting for Yellow tires while Gasly goes for Reds. Steards' Investigation results in no further more action for Sainz-Max collision. Hamilton struggling with front tires, complains on radio of oversteer. Lap 13 Kvyat and Giovinazzi collide, Lap 14 Max pits, comes out and passes Bottas but the elation is short lived as Bottas passes Max a lap later.
Lap 15 Charles and Lewis pit together and Charles keeps his lead. Mercedes does undercut Vettel in Lap 16 Vettel pits comes out behind Hamilton. Lap 18 hails a 5 secs time penalty for Kvyat for speeding in pits and Grosjean retires the same lap. With the bells ringing at Haas, Magnussen is told he is on one stop strategy
Lap 21, Hulkenberg passes Raikkonen at turn 2 and Vettel passes Hamilton for P2 at turn 3 as Hamilton's tyres started giving way two laps later. Lap 25 sees Ricciardo finally pitting as Sainz pits on lap 26 and puts on hard tires and Norris passes Kimi in turn 1 to move up to P7. Ricciardo passes Magnussen for P11 on Lap 30 and Sainz passes Kubica on Lap 32 for P18. A phenomenal drive by Stroll made him unlap himself as he went wheel to wheel with Verstappen.
Lap 33 Verstappen pits and gets yellow compound and passes Kimi in Lap 34. Hamilton pits for yellow compounds, Raikkonen passes both Toro Rossos and moves up to P12 in Lap 35 and Vettel comes in for yellows on Lap 36. It's at this moment that Leclerc says that he's having problems with his tyres and pits for yellows.
Hamilton unsuccessfully attempts to pass Vettel and finally manages to pass Vettel at Lap 38 and leaves Vettel spinning. This forces him to come in for another pit stop as his front wing breaks and falls off.
Vettel later goes on an overtaking spree, passing several cars including both Renaults, Raikkonen and Norris and Norris later passes Ricciardo at Lap 45.
The heartbreak of the race comes as the race leader, Charles Leclerc's pace starts slowing down as he complains about engine and loses time to Hamilton. Later on he's told that his MGU-K is not working and his battery is not harvesting power anymore.
Lap 47 sees Norris passing Raikkonen to move up to P7 and the win taken from Charles Leclerc as Hamilton finally gets past and takes lead of race at Lap 48. Later on Bottas also passes Leclerc. Sudden problems in both Renaults forces them to stop and safety car is called out on to the track, firther tragedy struck as Carlos Sainz's McLaren is retired from the race at Lap 55. The race ends with lewis Hamilton leading a 1-2 finish for Mercedes followed by teammate Valtteri Bottas and the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc.
At the end of the race Lewis acknowledged that the race was won by sheer luck, and had proved to be a devastating result for Charles Leclerc further stating that they've got massive work to do.
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