F1, GP Bahrain: Vince Plastri, Leclerc 4th, Hamilton 5th. Penalty for Russell?

Oscar Piastri wins the Bahrain Grand Prix. Great Australian race, in control from start to finish. Second victory for him, now 74 points in the pilot world championship. Behind him George Russell, who defended his position from Lando Norris’ final attacks with his nails and teeth. But Russell is under investigation, risks a penalty of 5 seconds and ending up from the podium. Fourth position for Charles Leclerc, who fought for the podium up to a few laps from the end. Behind him his teammate Lewis Hamilton. Only sixth the world champion Max Verstappen, in great difficulty for all 57 rpm. In seventh position a Super Pierre Gasly, which conquers the first seasonal points for Alpine. Eighth Esteban Ocon, with points such as teammate Oliver Bearman (tenth). In the midst of the Haas Yuki Tsunoda sandwich, which brings the “second” Red Bull to points for the first time. Norris therefore remains at the top of the World Cup, with just three lengths ahead of the teammate. Instead, it loses land Verstappen, now at 69 points.

departure

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All the pilots started with soft rubber, with the exception of Leclerc, Hamilton, Alonso, Lawson and Bortoleto who opted for the average compound. Different strategy therefore for Ferrari compared to the rivals of the first rows. When the traffic light was turned off, he managed to keep his head, despite Russell’s aggressive departure, who managed to put Leclerc behind. The Monegasque, who struggled due to the “disadvantage” compound, was also exceeded by Norris: English, reactive at the start, however, received a penalty of 5 seconds for having positioned himself outside the starting box. Plastri immediately stretched on Russell, preventing Mercedes pilot from using the DRS. Nice overtaking of Verstappen on Sainz on the sixth lap, thanks to which the Dutchman recovered his seventh position lost at the start. Hamilton has also passed the Spanish to the ninth returned. On the tenth round Antonelli slipped Gasly, climbing fifth.

The first pits stop

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Norris, who served his penalty, Gasly and Verstappen, returned to the tenth lap. Slow stop for the world champion, who was also the first driver in the race to mount the hard compound. Pit stop at the twelfth returned for Antonelli. In the next lap he stopped his teammate Russell, leaving his second position to Leclerc, who was on a different strategy having started with the average. The leader Plastri made his stop at the fourteenth round, mounting medium rubber and managing to return in front of rival Russell, with Leclerc and Hamilton climbed to the first and second position having not stopped. Leclerc and Hamilton made the stop on Giro 18, mounting a new average rubber: the Monegasque returned to fifth position, behind Gasly, which however passed shortly after, while the British eleventh behind Tsunoda. The 7 times world champion has risen to the tenth in the next lap. “Historic” overtaking for Italy on tour 20, with Antonelli who put the world champion Verstappen at Snake. Good rhythm at this stage for Leclerc, able to recover ground on Norris. Hamilton got into ninth position at the 22nd round, putting both Doohan and Verstappen in a few curves. Great difficulty for the Dutchman who complained several times on the radio of the functioning of his brakes.

Ferrari in action

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Both Ferraris in action at the 25th round: Leclerc put Norris behind it in turn 4, going up to third position, while Hamilton slipped Antonelli for the seventh. Great speed in straight for the SF-25. Another overtaking for Hamilton, this time on Ocon, on Giro 26. New stop at the 27th return for Verstappen: average rubber for the Dutchman. The pit stop Red Bull is still slow. Stop for Antonelli on the 27th lap: the Italian mounted soft rubber, presupping a strategy with three stops. At tour 31 the advantage of Plastri on Russell went up to 7 seconds. Gap of a second for English towards Leclerc. Overtaking of Antonelli on Alonso for the thirteenth position. The 32nd return entered the track the Safety Car to clean debris on the track. Neutralization triggered the pit stop waltz: almost all the pilots stopped. In front of Plastri he mounted the average, Russell the soft, Leclerc lasts it. For Norris and Hamilton herself mixes teammates.

the restart

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Safety Car returned to Pit Lane on the 35th round. In restart Leclerc managed to keep the position on Norris despite the mix of advantage. Overtaking and contrasting between Hamilton and the Englishman of McLaren, with the latter who however passed the Ferrari driver, leaving the limits of the track in curve 4 and therefore had to return the position to the 7 -time world champion. Plastri instead kept the head of the race without difficulty, with Russell behind him. Norris slipped Hamilton again on Giro 38, always in curve 4. Neutralization allowed Verstappen to slightly straighten his race, with the Dutch classified seventh at 39 out of 57.

The final phase

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Very close Russell, Leclerc and Norris at 12 laps from the end, with small flasks more detached than its pursuers. Blocking in Curve 1 for Norris in an attempt to attack Leclerc on the 46th round. Still fights between the two at the 49th round, with the Monegasque who accompanied the English one in curve 4. The Ferrari driver has made it saggery at Giro 52, with Norris who overtook him right in corner 4. Noticed Russell for using the DRS when he could not: the episode will be discussed at the end of the race. The mobile wing, even if the key is crushed, should not in fact open if a pilot is over a second by those who precede it.