Race Notes - Massa wins Bahrain GP in Ferrari 1-2

Felipe Massa won the Bahrain Grand Prix today in commanding fashion after taking the lead in his Ferrari at the first corner, and never looking back.

World Champion Kimi Raikkonen finished second, 3.3 seconds back, in the other Ferrari, while first-time pole-sitter Robert Kubica finished in third in his BMW Sauber, some 4.9 seconds behind.

Nick Heidfeld in the second BMW Sauber finished 8.4 seconds behind the leader in fourth place, Heikki Kovalainen in the McLaren-Mercedes in fifth, Jarno Trulli in the Toyota in sixth, Mark Webber in the Red Bull-Renault in seventh and Nico Rosberg in the Williams-Toyota finishing in the final points position. Lewis Hamilton had a troubled race and finished in 13th.

The win is the Brazilian drivers 6th career victory. Raikkonen and Heidfeld have now overtaken Hamilton for the Drivers Championship, with 19 and 16 points respectively, while Hamilton has 14 points in a three-way tie for third with Kubica and Kovalainen, and Massa on the board with 10 points. For this first time ever, Sauber BMW leads the Constructors Championship with 30 points over Ferrari with 29 points and McLaren-Mercedes with 28 points.

At the start Hamilton gets off the line slowly dropping back to 10th, while Massa passes Kubica for the lead into the first corner. Sebastian Vettel's Toro Rosso stops on the side of the track.

On lap 2 Hamilton attempts to pass Fernando Alonso and rides up the back of the Renault - losing his front wing and needing to pit - rejoining in 18th place, while David Coulthard, Adrian Sutil and Jenson Button also pit.

On lap 3 Raikkonen passes Kubica for second place, while Heidfeld passes Kovalainen for fourth place.

At lap 4 the order is Massa leading Raikkonen, followed by Kubica, Heidfeld, Kovalainen, Trulli, Rosberg, Webber, Alonso and Timo Glock in tenth place.

The fastest lap is traded between Massa, Raikkonen, Kubica and Button at the back of the field.

At lap 11 Piquet passes Sebastien Bourdais for 13th place.

At lap 15, the order in the top 10 remained the same, with Massa stretching out to a 4.5 second lead over his team mate Raikkonen, followed by Kubica, Heidfeld, Kovalainen, Trulli, Rosberg, Webber, Alonso and Glock in tenth - Hamilton in 18th place.

As the first pitstops approach Raikkonen sets a number of fast laps, trying to close on his Ferrari team mate.

On lap 17, Kubica from third, Rosberg and Nelson Piquet are the first to pit.

On lap 18 Button makes an attempt to pass Coulthard the two making contact with Button losing his front wing and retiring in the pits.

On lap 20 Raikkonen pits from second, along with Trulli and Alonso, followed by race leader Massa the next lap, along with Heidfeld and Kovalainen, and Webber, Giancarlo Fisichella and Rubens Barrichello on lap 22.

At lap 23 Massa leads his team mate Raikkonen by 5.4 seconds, followed by Glock (yet to make his first stop), Kubica, Heidfeld, Kovalainen, Trulli, Webber, Rosberg and Bourdais in tenth.

On lap 24 Glock is the last of the lead pack to pit from third, rejoining in 9th, in front of Alonso.

At lap 29 - half distance of the race - Massa leads Raikkonen by 4.0 seconds, Kubica (8.6 secs futher back, Heidfeld (4.5 secs), Kovalainen (11.7 secs), Trulli (4.5 secs), Webber (2.7 secs), Rosberg (5.6 secs), Glock (0.6 secs) and Alonso (2.8 secs) in tenth place - Hamilton up to 14th place (1m02 secs behind the leader.

On lap 31 Hamilton passes Fisichella for 13th place.

Raikkonen continues to push his team mate Massa, the two Ferrari drivers trading fast laps, Raikkonen closing to 3.3 seconds.

On lap 37 Alonso pits from 10th, while his team mate Piquet has an off-track excursion.

On lap 38 Raikkonen pits from second place, followed by leader Massa the following lap, Kubica taking over the lead before his stop.

At lap 40 the order was Kubica leading Heidfeld by 7 seconds, followed by Massa, Raikkonen, Kovalainen, Trulli, Webber, Rosberg, Glock and Barrichello in tenth place.

On lap 40 Rosberg pits, followed the next lap by Kubica from the lead, rejoining in sixth, his team mate Heidfeld taking over the lead.

On lap 42 Webber, Barrichello and Fisichella pit, followed by Trulli from 5th place the next lap, Glock on lap 44, leader Heidfeld on lap 45 (coming out behind his team mate), and the last of the leaders to stop, Kovalainen on lap 47.

At lap 48, Massa leads Raikkonen by 7.6 seconds, followed by the two BMWs of Kubica and Heidfeld, Kovalainen Trulli, Webber, Rosberg, Glock and Alonso in tenth place.

In the closing laps Kubica starts to close on Raikkonen.