Bahrain GP - Points at last!
Sakhir, 26th April 2009
Kimi Raikkonen finished the Bahrain Grand Prix in sixth place, driving an attacking race to bring home the first points of the season, (three) for Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro. Felipe Massa finished fourteenth, an early nose change ruining his race, so an improvement, albeit a small one in terms of performance and reliability, as the first part of this long campaign ends and the European season begins in Spain in a fortnight. But 3 points means the blank scoreboard now has some numbers on it. In the past, the move to Europe was often considered the “real” start of the championship. With significant aerodynamic updates due to be fitted to the F60 when it appears at the Circuit de Catalunya, this will be the fervent hope of everyone at Ferrari.
The cooler weather predicted for race day didn’t arrive, so in these very high temperatures, reliability was the main factor on everyone’s mind as the grid formed up for this 57 lap race. Felipe Massa was in eighth place, with team-mate Kimi Raikkonen right behind him in tenth.
When the lights went out, Glock overtook pole man Trulli, Hamilton coming up behind from fifth. On the second lap, Kimi had moved up four places to sixth, but he was then passed by Barrichello. On lap 4, Felipe’s race was badly compromised as he had to pit for a replacement nose on his F60. One lap later the order was Glock, Trulli, Button, Hamilton, Vettel, Barrichello, Kimi, Alonso, Rosberg, with Piquet tenth. As expected the Toyotas pitted early, and then came the Brawns and Hamilton between laps 14 and 16, leaving China race winner Vettel in the lead.
On lap 20, as the first pit stops panned out, Button had a comfortable lead from Trulli, who was holding up Vettel and Hamilton and this pair was soon joined in the train by Barrichello. With the run of pit stops, Kimi was actually leading briefly before pitting on lap 21, dropping to eighth while Felipe was stuck in the pack and pitted on lap 29. On lap 30, Kimi was back in sixth and chasing Timo Glock for fifth place. On lap 37, leader Button pitted again, as did Trulli and Hamilton, so that Vettel was now leading Button by 10 seconds. Kimi, running out of sync with the others in terms of pit stops, found himself in second place on lap 41, ten seconds down on the leader, still Button, until the Ferrari man made his final stop on lap 44, which saw him go down the order to seventh, but one lap later he went back to sixth, where he stayed to the chequered flag. With eleven laps remaining, Felipe made his final tyre change, at least recording a double finish for the Scuderia with his fourteenth place.
On the podium it was Button, for the third time in four races, joined by Vettel and Trulli. The rest of the points went to Hamilton, Barrichello, Kimi, Glock and Alonso.
Kimi Raikkonen finished the Bahrain Grand Prix in sixth place, driving an attacking race to bring home the first points of the season, (three) for Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro. Felipe Massa finished fourteenth, an early nose change ruining his race, so an improvement, albeit a small one in terms of performance and reliability, as the first part of this long campaign ends and the European season begins in Spain in a fortnight. But 3 points means the blank scoreboard now has some numbers on it. In the past, the move to Europe was often considered the “real” start of the championship. With significant aerodynamic updates due to be fitted to the F60 when it appears at the Circuit de Catalunya, this will be the fervent hope of everyone at Ferrari.
The cooler weather predicted for race day didn’t arrive, so in these very high temperatures, reliability was the main factor on everyone’s mind as the grid formed up for this 57 lap race. Felipe Massa was in eighth place, with team-mate Kimi Raikkonen right behind him in tenth.
When the lights went out, Glock overtook pole man Trulli, Hamilton coming up behind from fifth. On the second lap, Kimi had moved up four places to sixth, but he was then passed by Barrichello. On lap 4, Felipe’s race was badly compromised as he had to pit for a replacement nose on his F60. One lap later the order was Glock, Trulli, Button, Hamilton, Vettel, Barrichello, Kimi, Alonso, Rosberg, with Piquet tenth. As expected the Toyotas pitted early, and then came the Brawns and Hamilton between laps 14 and 16, leaving China race winner Vettel in the lead.
On lap 20, as the first pit stops panned out, Button had a comfortable lead from Trulli, who was holding up Vettel and Hamilton and this pair was soon joined in the train by Barrichello. With the run of pit stops, Kimi was actually leading briefly before pitting on lap 21, dropping to eighth while Felipe was stuck in the pack and pitted on lap 29. On lap 30, Kimi was back in sixth and chasing Timo Glock for fifth place. On lap 37, leader Button pitted again, as did Trulli and Hamilton, so that Vettel was now leading Button by 10 seconds. Kimi, running out of sync with the others in terms of pit stops, found himself in second place on lap 41, ten seconds down on the leader, still Button, until the Ferrari man made his final stop on lap 44, which saw him go down the order to seventh, but one lap later he went back to sixth, where he stayed to the chequered flag. With eleven laps remaining, Felipe made his final tyre change, at least recording a double finish for the Scuderia with his fourteenth place.
On the podium it was Button, for the third time in four races, joined by Vettel and Trulli. The rest of the points went to Hamilton, Barrichello, Kimi, Glock and Alonso.
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