Bahrain GP 2016

APRIL 3, 2016

Race Notes - Rosberg wins Bahrain GP

Nico Rosberg, Bahrain GP 2016
© Active Pictures

 

Nico Rosberg took his second consecutive win for the 2016 season winning the Bahrain Grand Prix over Kimi Raikkonen in the Ferrari, 10.282 seconds behind, and Lewis Hamilton in the second Mercedes in third place, .

Sebastian Vettel, after qualifying in third, retired before the start when Ferrari failed before start of the race.

Daniel Ricciardo (1m02.494s) in the Red Bull-Tag Heuer was fourth, followed by Romain Grosjean (1m18.299s) in the Haas-Ferrari in fifth, Max Verstappen (2m20.929s) in the Toro Rosso-Ferrari in sixth, Daniil Kvyat (1 Lap) in the second Red Bull in seventh, Felipe Massa (1 Lap) in the Williams-Mercedes in eighth, his team mate Valtteri Bottas (1 Lap) in ninth and Stoffel Vandoorne (1 Lap) in his debut race replacing the injured Fernando Alonso finished in the the final points position in tenth place.

Before the start Hamilton sits on pole, taking it away from his team mate Rosberg. Vettel and Raikkonen sit on the second row, followed by Ricciardo and Bottas on row three, Massa and Hulkenberg on row four and Grosjean and Verstappen rounding out the top 10 on the grid.

Pirelli is providing three tyre choices for the race, supersofts, softs and medium compound tyres. The top eight starters on supersoft tyres, and the drivers must use two compounds during the race.

Expect the drivers to make a two-stop or three-stop strategy during tonight™s race.

At the appointed time, the drivers bring the field around - half way through the lap Sebastian Vettel™s Ferrari comes to a smoky stop and his day is done before he makes the grid.

At the grid, the lights go out and the race begins with Hamilton getting a slow start, Rosberg taking the lead - Hamilton and Bottas make contact with damage on the front wing.

Massa and Bottas take second and third.

Hulkenberg pits from the first lap, while Perez and Sainz make contact.

On lap 2 Perez pits for a new front wing, while Sainz pits for a punctures tyre.

Roberg sets fastest lap at 1m37.732 seconds, and is follwed by Massa, Bottas, Raikkonen, Hamilton, Grosjean, Gutierrez and Button in tenth.

On lap 4, after coming back from his stop Perez sets fast lap at 1m37.384s.

On lap 7, Ricciardo pits to change his front wing and switches to soft compound tyres. Raikkonen passses Bottas for tihtd. Massa pits from second place for medium tyres.

On lap 8 Hamilton passes Button for third Bottas pits for a set of medium tyres.

On lap 10 Bottas is handed a drive through penalty for causing a collision. Vandoorne pits. Guterriez pits and the car is retired.

At lap 10 Rosverg is leading Raikkonen, followed by Hamilton, Grosjean, Kvyat, Massa, Ricciardo, Wehrlein, Ericsson, and Magnussen in tenth.

On lap 13 Raikkonen pits. Vandoorne passes Perez. Grosjean pits

On lap 14 Rosberg pits from the lead, along with his team mate Hamilton in second place. Raikkonen passes Riccardo for third place. Raikkonen sets fast lap at 1m34.814s,

On lap 15 Bottas takes both Hulkenburg and Perez. Raikkonen sets another fast lap

On lap 17 Kvyat makes his first pit stop. Grosjean passes Massa for fifth place.

At lap 20, Rosberg leads Raikkonen by 11.73 seconds seconds, followed by Hamilton (20.92s), Ricciardo (28.54s), Grosjean (31.19s), Massa (35.26s), Verstappen (36.06s), Vandoorne (43.54s), Bottas (51.98s) and Ericsson (54.47s) in tenth place.

On lap 20 Verstappen on soft tyres passes Massa for sixth place. Kvyat passes Nasr for 12th.

On lap 22 Sainz pits - he runs 18th.

Grosjean is chasing after Ricciardo in fourth place, and passes the Red Bull driver on lap 25.

On lap 25 Ricciardo pits

On lap 25 Rosberg has extended his lead to 14.88 seconds.

On lap 26 Vandoorne pits again for soft tyres. Ricciardo passes Bottas for eighth place. Verstappen pits from sixth place.for medium tyres.

On lap 27 Grosjean pits from fourth place.

On lap 29 Hamilton pits from third place. Grosjean passes Bottas.

At lap 30 Rosberg continues to lead Raikkonen by 16.03 seconds, followed by Hamilton (46.90s), Massa (1m04.51s), Ricciardo 1m04,65s), Kvyat (1m07.23s), Grosjean (1m13,80s), Verstappen (1m14.57s), Bottas (1m15.82s), and Vandoorne in tenth place.

Ricciardo passes Massa for fourth. Massa pits

On lap 31 Rosberg pits from the lead, switching to another set of supersoft tyres - and will need to pit again.

On lap 33 Grosjean passes Kvyat for seventh. The next lpa Verstappen passes Kvyat for sixth. Kvyat then pits.

Magnussen passes Perez for 11th place,

On lap 37 Hulkenberg pits.

On lap 38 Raikkonen pits from second place switching to soft tyres for his final stint, and rejoins in tihrd place.

On lap 40 leader Rosberg pits and changes to soft tyres - rejoining behind Hamilton, who still needs to pit.

On lap 41 Grosjean pits for soft tyres. Hamilton pits from the lead the next lap and switches to softs as well, while Rosberg sets fast lap at 1m34.482s,

On lap 42 Vandoorne makes his final stop. Raikkonen follows Rosberg in the lead by 4 seconds. Rosberg complains to the team not to give him the gap every lap.

On lap 46 Grosjean passes Massa for sixth place. Ricciardo chases Verstappen for fourth. Verstappen then makes his final stop.

Magnussen chases Ericsson for 11th place. Kvyat passes Bottas for eighth place.

At lap 50 Rosberg leads Raikkonen, followed by Hamilton, Ricciardo, Grosjean, Massa, Verstappen, Kvyat, Bottas, and Vandoorne in tenth place.

On lap 52 Verstappen passes Massa for sixth place.