Reverend
April 6th, 2008, 18:13 PM
Felipe Massa became the third winner in as many Grands Prix this season with a dominant drive for Ferrari in Bahrain.
The Brazilian took the lead at the start from pole-man Robert Kubica's BMW Sauber and kept Ferrari team-mate Kimi Raikkonen under control throughout.
World champion Raikkonen took the lead in this year's title race for the first time as Lewis Hamilton finished 13th.
Hamilton needed to pit for repairs to his McLaren after an early collision with former team-mate Fernando Alonso.
The Englishman, who had dropped down to 10th from third on the grid after a bad start, ran into the back of the Spaniard's Renault while trying to pass it on lap two. The incident knocked off Hamilton's front wing, and he needed to pit for a new nose cone at the end of the lap.
He battled hard to make up lost ground, but ran out of time to get into the points.
The 23-year-old had led the championship since winning the first race of the season in Australia last month, but is now five points behind Raikkonen.
The collision between Hamilton and Alonso is unlikely to improve relations between the two men, who had a stormy season as McLaren team-mates last season.
Alonso's car was also damaged in the incident - Hamilton's McLaren knocked pieces out of the Renault's rear wing as it reared up the back of the car.
After passing Kubica off the line, Massa immediately eased out a gap in the opening laps.
Raikkonen beat Massa in Malaysia two weeks ago despite starting behind him, and might have been expected to close in on his team-mate once he had passed Kubica on lap three.
Instead, Massa managed to inch clear of the Finn, and was five seconds ahead by the time Raikkonen came in for his pit stop on lap 20.
Massa came in on the next lap, making it clear that he had the edge on his team-mate around the tricky desert track.
Raikkonen piled on the pressure in the second stint, bringing the gap between the two down to three seconds with a succession of fastest laps. But Massa, unlike in Malaysia, did not crumble under the pressure, and he was able to fend off his team-mate as the two continued in formation to the end.
Bahrain Grand Prix result:
1. Felipe Massa (Brz) Ferrari
2. Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari
3. Robert Kubica (Pol) BMW Sauber
4. Nick Heidfeld (Ger) BMW Sauber
5. Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) McLaren-Mercedes
6. Jarno Trulli (Ita) Toyota
7. Mark Webber (Aus) Red Bull-Renault
8. Nico Rosberg (Ger) Williams-Toyota
Championship standings:
1. Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari 19 pts
2. Nick Heidfeld (Ger) BMW Sauber 16
3. Lewis Hamilton (GB) McLaren-Mercedes 14
4. Robert Kubica (Pol) BMW Sauber 14
5. Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) McLaren-Mercedes 14
6. Felipe Massa (Brz) Ferrari 10
7. Jarno Trulli (Ita) Toyota 8
8. Nico Rosberg (Ger) Williams-Toyota 7
Constructors' championship:
1. BMW Sauber 30 pts
2. Ferrari 29
3. McLaren-Mercedes 28
4. Williams-Toyota 10
5. Toyota 8
BBC Sport (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7333277.stm)
The Brazilian took the lead at the start from pole-man Robert Kubica's BMW Sauber and kept Ferrari team-mate Kimi Raikkonen under control throughout.
World champion Raikkonen took the lead in this year's title race for the first time as Lewis Hamilton finished 13th.
Hamilton needed to pit for repairs to his McLaren after an early collision with former team-mate Fernando Alonso.
The Englishman, who had dropped down to 10th from third on the grid after a bad start, ran into the back of the Spaniard's Renault while trying to pass it on lap two. The incident knocked off Hamilton's front wing, and he needed to pit for a new nose cone at the end of the lap.
He battled hard to make up lost ground, but ran out of time to get into the points.
The 23-year-old had led the championship since winning the first race of the season in Australia last month, but is now five points behind Raikkonen.
The collision between Hamilton and Alonso is unlikely to improve relations between the two men, who had a stormy season as McLaren team-mates last season.
Alonso's car was also damaged in the incident - Hamilton's McLaren knocked pieces out of the Renault's rear wing as it reared up the back of the car.
After passing Kubica off the line, Massa immediately eased out a gap in the opening laps.
Raikkonen beat Massa in Malaysia two weeks ago despite starting behind him, and might have been expected to close in on his team-mate once he had passed Kubica on lap three.
Instead, Massa managed to inch clear of the Finn, and was five seconds ahead by the time Raikkonen came in for his pit stop on lap 20.
Massa came in on the next lap, making it clear that he had the edge on his team-mate around the tricky desert track.
Raikkonen piled on the pressure in the second stint, bringing the gap between the two down to three seconds with a succession of fastest laps. But Massa, unlike in Malaysia, did not crumble under the pressure, and he was able to fend off his team-mate as the two continued in formation to the end.
Bahrain Grand Prix result:
1. Felipe Massa (Brz) Ferrari
2. Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari
3. Robert Kubica (Pol) BMW Sauber
4. Nick Heidfeld (Ger) BMW Sauber
5. Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) McLaren-Mercedes
6. Jarno Trulli (Ita) Toyota
7. Mark Webber (Aus) Red Bull-Renault
8. Nico Rosberg (Ger) Williams-Toyota
Championship standings:
1. Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari 19 pts
2. Nick Heidfeld (Ger) BMW Sauber 16
3. Lewis Hamilton (GB) McLaren-Mercedes 14
4. Robert Kubica (Pol) BMW Sauber 14
5. Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) McLaren-Mercedes 14
6. Felipe Massa (Brz) Ferrari 10
7. Jarno Trulli (Ita) Toyota 8
8. Nico Rosberg (Ger) Williams-Toyota 7
Constructors' championship:
1. BMW Sauber 30 pts
2. Ferrari 29
3. McLaren-Mercedes 28
4. Williams-Toyota 10
5. Toyota 8
BBC Sport (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7333277.stm)