Summary

  • Vettel holds on to win, Bottas 2nd, Hamilton up to 3rd from 9th

  • Raikkonen runs over mechanic in pits - breaking his leg

  • Hamilton overtakes three cars in one corner

  • Both Red Bulls out early on

  • Ricciardo, Verstappen, Raikkonen out

Live Reporting

Michael Emons

  1. Lap 25/57

    Hamilton, in the lead, but still to come into the pits, is having to hold off an attack from Sebastian Vettel, who has pitted.

    Lewis HamGetty Images

  2. Get involved #bbcf1

    DT: Wonderful from Mercedes. Gotta think they’ll be close here!

  3. Lap 24/57

    Wheel-to-wheel action. It is what we all want to see. But the incident left Max Verstappen with a puncture and out of the race. Lewis Hamilton remained unscathed.

    Verstappen hamiltonGetty Images
    VertsappenGetty Images

  4. Lap 24/57

    A word on Sergio Perez, he was banged into by Brendon Hartley and that left him last of those running, but has now jumped up to 12th.

  5. Talking tactics

    Lap 23/57

    Jolyon Palmer
    Former Renault driver on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

    It is a real tactical game now. Do Ferrari try to save the tyres or push hell for leather and build up the gap so they can attack with supersoft at the end?

  6. Lap 23/57

    Ferrari won the tactical battle in Australia, are Mercedes going to get the edge in Bahrain?

  7. Ferrari sweating?

    Lap 23/57

    Jolyon Palmer
    Former Renault driver on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

    I think Ferrari will be sweating now. Mercedes are clearly looking to one-stop race so Vettel will have to build up a big gap, those soft tyres I am not sure are going to hang on.

  8. Lap 23/57

    Marcus Ericsson, aiming for a first points finish in 50 races, is in sixth. But let's not get too carried away. He also has to come into the pits.

  9. Get Involved #bbcf1

    Phil Slocombe: A podium from 9th place would be magnificent from Lewis but the win would be better.

  10. Lap 22/57

    Lewis Hamilton is 5.3 seconds ahead of Sebastian Vettel. Vettel has pitted, Hamilton has not.

    HamReuters

  11. Different strategies

    Lap 21/57

    Jolyon Palmer
    Former Renault driver on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

    Valtteri Bottas is on the medium tyre and will not be pitting again. That is the difference now - both Ferraris are on softs while the Mercedes is on the mediums.

  12. Lap 21/57

    Valtteri Bottas comes in, it is a 3.8 second stop, which Mercedes may be a bit disappointed with, although Bottas, on the mediums, just comes out ahead of Kimi Raikkonen.

    Hamilton leads, but will be pitting soon.

  13. Jack Nicholls
    Radio 5 live Formula 1 commentator

    Mercedes looked ready for Bottas, it did not look like a dummy to me. The front jack man looked hyped up and ready and then they all watched Bottas drive past.

  14. Listen to the start of the race

    It wasn't a great start for Lewis Hamilton but boy did he make it up for it soon after with that stunning three-car overtake.

    Listen to the lights out moment below.

    Hamilton drops from ninth to 10th and makes contact with Verstappen.

  15. Lap 20/57

    Kimi Raikkonen comes into the pits. Mercedes yet to show their hand. Bottas first, Hamilton second but neither have pitted.

    What a performance from Hamilton though. He started ninth remember.

  16. Lap 20/57

    What of McLaren? Fernando Alonso 10th, Stoffel Vandoorne 12th at the moment.

  17. Lap 19/57

    Jolyon Palmer
    Former Renault driver on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

    Throwing a dummy there, the Mercedes pit crew.

  18. Lap 19/57

    That gives Valtteri Bottas the lead as Sebastian Vettel comes back in in fourth place, but the top three have not pitted just yet.

  19. Lap 19/57

    And here comes Sebastian Vettel into the pits. He is the first of the top four to come in.

  20. Lap 18/57

    There has been carnage further back, but a dream day so far for Sebastian Vettel.

    The last race was won with an expert pit move from Ferrari, the leaders will be heading into the pits in the next few laps.

    bahrainEPA