Everything seemed written and Max Verstappen was going to take the first victory of 2021 in the Bahrain Grand Prix … He had passed Hamilton with 5 laps to go, but the race direction was of the opinion that the overtaking had been on the outside in Turn 4. Red Bull obeyed and in those final turns, I forced Max to return position and then it was impossible for him. Lewis takes the victory, but by 0.7 seconds and sweating until the last meters. It will be an unforgettable World Cup.
The overtaking seemed good, but perhaps without touching with the four wheels inside the track, which made the stewards act. Despite the controversy, the fight was epic.
Sainz, from less to more
Carlos Sainz finished eighth, going from less to more, after a difficult start at the start and the first stint, where he lost places that were later unrecoverable. Charles Leclerc was sixth, completing a somewhat disappointing performance from Ferrari in terms of race pace. Red Bull, Mercedes and McLaren were ahead of the Italians at Sakhir. In any case, Carlos’ premiere was remarkable and he will take the new car in the air in the next races. His finish over Ricciardo was a mark of the house, and he was just a little behind the seventh.
Alonso, retired for brakes
Fernando Alonso started very well, overtaking Sainz and getting seventh at the start, after an accident by Pierre Gasly, but from lap 5 he began to be overtaken by rivals and then he started to change tires on lap 11, the first of all, which made him go unhinged in strategy. In the middle of the test, when he was 15th after his second entry into the pit, Fernando was forced to retire due to running out of brakes at the rear and with power delivery problems in the engine.
In the race, very poor what the Enstone team offered, if you look at Esteban Ocon’s 13th finish. It is not even the shadow of the Renault that passed through here last November, with the Frenchman’s podium. It is one of the squads that has gone backwards.
Czech, from last to fifth
Lando Norris was one of the winners of the day, with a fourth won by law and Checo was helpless when he was left standing on the formation lap, with a reprentino blackout. He was able to start from the pit and go from last to fifth, but he could well have been on the podium. There will be much more for the Mexican this season.
Bahrain Grand Prix 2021
1st L. Hamilton (D) Mercedes 55/56
2nd M. Verstappen (R) Red Bull + 0 “8
3rd V. Bottas (M) Mercedes + 39 “4
4th L. Norris (D) McLaren + 40 “0
5th S. Perez (M) Red Bull + 56 “2
6th C. Leclerc (D) Ferrari + 47 “4
7th D. Ricciardo (D) McLaren + 53 “5
8th Carlos Sainz (D) Ferrari + 63 “5
9th L. Stroll (D) Aston Martin + 64 “5
10th Y. Tsunoda (D) AlphaTauri + 71 “4
11th K. Raikkonen (M) Alfa Romeo + 78 “0
12th A. Giovinazzi (M) Alfa Romeo + 87 “9
13th E. Ocon (D) Alpine + 1 lap
14th G. Russell (M) Williams + 1 lap
15th S. Vettel (D) Aston Martin + 1 lap
16th M. Schumacher (D) Haas + 1 lap
– P. Gasly (R) AlphaTauri Retired
– N. Latifi (M) Williams Retired
– 19º F. Alonso (R) Alpine Retired
– N. Mazepin (M) Haas Retired
Checo’s fault in the formation lap
Checo Pérez stood still in the formation lap, with his steering wheel off, forcing him to take another formation lap. The Mexican entered the pits and stood at the exit of the pit lane to exit. A shame for the Mexican in his debut with Red Bull, who started last and from the pits.
Exit, Alonso wins place to Sainz, Leclerc third
The start was very interesting, with Fernando Alonso complying and passing Sainz in the first corner (for the eighth) and with Leclerc overtaking Bottas in T3 to place himself on the podium. Stroll was also able to overtake Carlos, who fell to tenth momentarily. Norris passed Ricciardo and placed sixth.
Mazepin lost the car at Turn 2 and went alone against the fence, resulting in the first safety car. A record for the Russian.
Resume, with touches
In the resumption (v3), Alonso had almost passed Ricciardo and Sainz Stroll, although he played with the Canadian. Norris stalked Bottas and Gasly touched Daniel with what lost the front wing and had to enter the pits. Alonso was already seventh and Sainz ninth.
Bottas noticed Leclerc on lap 4 and Norris started to lead the Monegasque. Lando tried it on lap 7 and then culminated in 8, quickly leaving the Ferrari behind. On that lap 8, Checo Pérez was already 13th.
Stroll passes Alonso
On lap 9, Fernando lost track to the Aston Martin, unable to do anything and Carlos came up behind quickly.
Alonso stops on lap 11
And Fernando launched a strategy attack on those in front, stopping the first in the pits. Norris, Leclerc and Stroll copied him at 12. And Fernando was able to pass Stroll again with the strategy. Sainz continued on track to continue longer
Hamilton entered the 14th to try to do the same as Alonso and Verstappejn did not react.
Sainz entered the 16th
Saiinz was the last to stop from the midfield and came out behind Stroll. Alonso was 9th, but he lost place with Stroll again on the track, and Checo was already fourth despite starting from the pit. Incredible in Mexican on this track.
Hamilton leader
Verstappen stopped on lap 17 and came back second. Hamilton was first with the hard and Max was with the middle.The advantage was 7 seconds for the English.
Sainz passes Alonso in the 20
Stuck behind Vettel, Sainz took the opportunity to pass Sainz and get into the points. After the German’s first stop, Carlos climbed to eighth.
Czech realizes Sainz
On lap 24, Checo, already with two stops, was able to pass Sainz to take eighth and leave Sainz tenth. Alonso was falling in pace and was 11th already overtaken by Raikkonen. On lap 26, Fernando was overtaken by Tsunoda and fell to 12th and it seemed that the descent was steep.
Checo passed Stroll on lap 27 and placed seventh and moving up, in another exceptional ride.
Verstappen regains lead, lap 28
Hamilton went into the pits to put on another hard game and Max Verstappen regained the head of the race. Lewis was trying to trace the Dutchman again. Stroll stopped and Sainz was eighth. Alonso stopped for the second time at 30 and fell to 15th. Bottas suffered a bad stop, but had the podium almost awarded.
Alonso retreat lap 33
Fernando said goodbye with the rear brakes finished, which explains his bad rhythm from the first stop. A finish that no one expected in a night race, even if it is a demanding circuit with the discs. The Spanish engine also had power problems and Ocon was 14th, rounding out a very bad start for Alpine.
Sainz, last stop, lap 37
Carlos, after stretching the second game well, entered the pit for his second stop and put in the hard. He went from sixth to ninth, but with the possibility of going back to some position at the end. Checo stopped to place the middle and go ahead of Stroll as seventh.
Verstappen entered his second stop on lap 39 and came out behind Hamilton to hunt him down. It was 7.5 seconds of rent for English.
Sainz passes Stroll lap 46
The Spaniard, always effective in the race finals, was finally able to beat the Canadian to take the eighth, which was the best possible result from the place where he started. Ferrari’s pace has left a lot to be desired in races and they are very good points. Riiciarod was already at 6.6 seconds and it was impossible.
Verstappen passes Hamilton at 52 and makes a mistake
With five laps to go and after a voracious chase, Max seemed to end an era, but the car ran out on the next lap and he lost his mind again. The Dutchman recovered and tried to get closer again to no avail.