Charles Leclerc had looked on
course to convert his pole position into a maiden win under the floodlights in
Bahrain. That was until 10 laps before the end of the Grand Prix when an issue
with his Ferrari engine forced him to concede the lead he’d held for the
majority of the race to the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton.
Hamilton went on to lead home
Mercedes’ second one-two of the year ahead of Valtteri Bottas, while a late
Safety Car brought out for the two Renaults retiring on the same lap at least
limited the damage to Leclerc’s race, as he ended up third to claim his first
podium in F1.
It was still a heartbreaking end to
what had been a superb Grand Prix for Leclerc, who had managed much of the race
magnificently from the front and would certainly have become the 108th winner
in F1 history had the issue with his engine not manifested.
There
was more woe for Ferrari too, as Sebastian Vettel – who himself had looked set
to claim a podium behind Leclerc – spun while battling with Lewis Hamilton
before dramatically losing his front wing down the back straight. He was left
to fight back to fifth, behind the fourth-placed Red Bull of Max Verstappen. Lando
Norris put in a fantastic drive to wind up sixth – benefitting from Nico
Hulkenberg late retirement from that position, while Kimi Raikkonen was seventh
ahead of the Red Bull of Pierre Gasly.
F1
now heads to Shanghai for the Chinese Grand Prix on April 14 – and after
Mercedes took their second win from as many races in 2019 in Bahrain, how
dearly Ferrari would love to win the next one, as Formula 1 celebrates its
1,000th Grand Prix.
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