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Charles Leclerc had planned to convert his first pole position into a first victory in the spotlight in Bahrain. Up to 10 laps from the end of the Grand Prix, a problem with his Ferrari MGU-H forces him to give up the lead he had for most of the race at Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes.
Hamilton led the second double of the year ahead of Mercedes in front of Valtteri Bottas, while a late safety car for both Renault was retiring in the same lap, limiting at least the damage done to the Leclerc race who finished third. to win his first podium in F1.
It was always a heartbreaking end to what had been a superb Grand Prix for Leclerc, who had beautifully managed most of the race and would have become the 108th winner in F1 history without the problem with his MGU -H manifested himself.
Sebastian Vettel – who himself seemed ready to get on the podium behind Leclerc – had more trouble with Ferrari too – while he was fighting against Lewis Hamilton before losing his front wing in the right way. He had to fight to return to fifth place, behind the Red Bull, ranked fourth, Max Verstappen.
Lando Norris made a fantastic effort to finish sixth – taking advantage of Nico Hulkenberg's late retirement, while Kimi Raikkonen was seventh ahead of Pierre Gasly's Red Bull.
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The race as it happened
It must be very hard not to have felt defeated for Charles Leclerc at the end of the Grand Prix of Bahrain. The majority of the race saw the Monegasque comfortably leading the pack, leading as an F1 veteran rather than a driver for his second race for Ferrari, the 21-year-old seems to be on the verge of winning his first victory in front of the pack. a report. The emission of MGU-H on his SF90 at lap 46 of 57 saw him fall back into the clutch of the pair that pursued Mercedes behind him.
Sunday's race at Leclerc was all the more sensational that she had not started very well. His teammate Sebastian Vettel clinched the pole man in the first lap, Leclerc taking third place while Bottas managed to sneak. , with Hamilton in fourth position. Behind, Lance Stroll and Romain Grosjean mutilated themselves, while Lando Norris, ninth, dropped to P18 after having had to take evasive action to avoid Antonio Giovinazzi's Alfa Romeo.
On lap 2, Leclerc sailed to Bottas with a superb shot on lap 2, the Finn taking fourth place a few bends later, after he and Hamilton rushed to turn 6.
Farther back, sparks flew in the fourth lap when Carlos Sainz, who had a good pace in his McLaren, attacked Max Verstappen's Red Bull. But the Dutchman closed the door on his former Toro Rosso teammate, seemingly damaging the McLaren's front wing, leaving a furious Sainz back on his knees with a shower of sparks spouting from his MCL34.
Vettel may have jumped quickly at the start, but in the fifth lap Leclerc regrouped and, getting closer to the German, he told Ferrari on the team's radio that he was planning an attack. He took a lap later, the Ferraris wandering and plunging uncomfortably around each other before Leclerc grabbed the movement around his teammate in turn 4. It was a fair fight – but none the two drivers had given the other quarterback Mattia Binotto would surely have transpired under his red collar during his second race at the head of the team.
Leclerc then headed to Vettel, who gradually fell into the Lewis Hamilton range. On the 37th lap, as both drivers had completed their second scheduled stop, Vettel and Hamilton were in a spin. Hamilton overtook the Ferrari for Turn 4, before Vettel, with impeccable judgment, reaffirmed to stay ahead. However, Hamilton seemed to have the advantage of rhythm and as of the next round, they still cut in the same place. This time, Hamilton made the turn around Turn 4, while Vettel seemed to have too much strength to regain control of the Mercedes. In 2018, Vettel lost the back of her SF90, giving way to the race in the second round, leaving behind a slight lead over Hamilton. As if that was not enough for Vettel, as he joined the track, the front wing of his car was spectacularly detached in the right back of Bahrain, which forced the German to claim a new nose. while he also locked a set of soft tires.
Leclerc did not have such problems at the front of the pack until he went on the radio on the 46th lap. "There is something strange with the engine," he said with agitation. After examining the problem, Ferrari confirmed a problem with Leclerc's MGU-H, which cost him a huge amount of speed in a straight line in straight lines. Hamilton had no hope, but he apologized when he sailed on the 48th lap.
Leclerc was in free fall, and after losing second to Valtteri Bottas – who was 27 seconds behind the Ferrari when Hamilton was past – he seemed ready to be engulfed by Max Verstappen's Red Bull. Security emerged as a result of a strange double retirement for Renault, the two yellow cars found themselves in the second round, a second apart, both having apparently lost their power. With Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hulkenberg touching turn 1, it closed what was not a good weekend for the Anglo-French team.
Hamilton won his first victory of the year behind the safety car, while Leclerc at least saved his first podium behind Bottas, after appearing to have lost third place ahead of Verstappen before the Renault encountered their problem. Verstappen would have been frustrated not to have made his second appearance on the podium of the year under the control of this safety car. end, just in front of the McLaren Lando Norris.
A glance at the result of the race would indicate a second weekend of domination of Mercedes on Ferrari. But this race will be remembered for the first victory that was cruelly wrested from Charles Leclerc.
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