LEWIS HAMILTON has started the F1 season in winning fashion in Bahrain.
The Brit finished ahead of Max Verstappen as F1 kicked off with a thriller today.
Follow ALL of the latest reaction from Bahrain below…
CELEBR-EIGHT GOOD TIMES?
Credit: AP Credit: Getty IN THE PITS
Valtteri Bottas lamented the pit-stop howler and said: “Disappointing for sure but a good thing for the team we got good points.
“It feels for me that it was on the defensive side and not attacking. Not ideal and I had a slow pit stop which in the end took away any opportunities.
“We managed to have two cars with different tyre choice so we could play with the strategy.”
MAX VERSTAPPEN EYEING THE POSITIVES
The Dutchman said: “It’s a shame but you also have to see the positive.
“We are really taking the fight to them, and I think that’s great to start the year like that.
“I don’t know what happened with the car early on.
“It don’t think it was completely solved in the low speed corners, so we’ll have al look at that. Overall, we managed to finish the race and score good points.”
‘I LOVE THE CHALLENGE’
Lewis Hamilton said after the race: “Wow. What a difficult race that was. Stopping early we knew would be difficult but we had to cover Max, they have had an amazing performance all weekend.
“We suffered the last stint. Max was all over me at the end and I was just about able to hold him off.
“That was one of the hardest races I’ve had for a while.
“I definitely am. Each year they are talking about when you hit your peak and timing is everything. I think I am at that and Max is doing really well at the moment.
“I love the challenge.”
IN FOR A TREAT
Well if that season opener is anything to go by, we’re in for a thrilling F1 season.
Red Bull appear closer than ever to end Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes’ seven-year reign at the top.
Even the Brit admitted that was one of the hardest races he’s had in a while…
TOP TEN
And breath… here’s the final top 10 standings
SUMMED UP NICELY
SIR LEWIS HAMILTON WINS THE BAHRAIN GP
Verstappen did not mange to get past the Mercedes man.
What a race. Thrilling end.
NO HE’S NOT!
He has given the place back as he moved ahead of Hamilton by going off track.
Hamilton P1, Verstappen p2.
THIS IS EPIC RACING
Verstappen is ahead.
HAMILTON IS STRUGGLING
And the gap is to under a second.
Verstappen smells blood. He is going to use DRS.
SIX LAPS TO GO…
Gap is now 1.3 seconds.
HAMILTON v VERSTAPPEN
GAP AT THE TOP
Just 2.7 seconds between Hamilton and Verstappen as the Red Bull man inches closer the world champion.
MISTAKE FOR VETTEL
The German locks up and clatters into the back of Esteban Ocon. That was his mistake, despite what he says over the team’s radio.
TEAM SPORT
VERSTAPPEN PITS – HAMILTON LEADS
Lap 40 and a super stop for Red Bull, less than two seconds.
He is in second place BUT has the better tyres.
FERNANDO ALONSO IS OUT
The Spaniard retires on lap 34 with a brake failure.
DISASTER BOTTAS
Mercedes made the strange call as Bottas is brought into the pits for tyres.
The team have a problem with their front right wheel, as it appears stuck on his car.
The stop takes 10.9 seconds. He has lost a place to Norris, who is into third.
LAP 33
Verstappen leads, Hamilton is 19 seconds behind in second.
Then Norris in P3. Bottas P4, Perez in P5.
DISASTER BOTTAS
Mercedes made the strange call as Bottas is brought into the pits for tyres.
The team have a problem with their front right wheel, as it appears stuck on his car.
The stop takes 10.9 seconds. He has lost a place to Norris, who is into third.
LAP 29 HAMILTON PITS – VERSTAPPEN LEADS
All change at the top as Hamilton gets another set of tyres but in doing so he has dropped to third behind Bottas.
MISTAKE FROM VETTEL
He locks up his tyres and now Alonso and Raikkonen get past. The German is down to 12th.
GREAT BATTLE FOR EIGHTH
Carlos Sainz, Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso are slugging it out. Great racing as Alonso is passed.
A QUICK RUN DOWN
Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
