2008 Bahrain Grand Prix

Infobox Grand Prix race report
Type = F1
Country = Bahrain
Grand Prix = Bahrain

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Caption = The Bahrain Circuit in Sakhir
date=April 6
year=2008
Official name = V Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix
Race_No = 3
Season_No = 18
location=Bahrain International Circuit
Sakhir, Bahrain
Course = Permanent racing facility
Course_mi = 3.37
Course_km = 5.412
Distance_laps = 57
Distance_mi = 191.530
Distance_km = 308.238
Weather = Sunny, widespread dust; Air 28-30°C, Track 34-39°C
Pole_Driver = Robert Kubica
Pole_Team = BMW Sauber
Pole_Time = 1:33.096
Pole_Country = Poland
Fast_Driver = Heikki Kovalainen
Fast_Team = McLaren-Mercedes
Fast_Time = 1:33.193
Fast_L

Fast_Country = Finland
First_Driver = Felipe Massa
First_Team = Ferrari
First_Country = Brazil
Second_Driver = Kimi Raikkonen
Second_Team = Ferrari
Second_Country= Finland
Third_Driver = Robert Kubica
Third_Team = BMW Sauber
Third_Country = PolandThe 2008 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race and was the third round of the 2008 Formula One season. It took place on the weekend of the 4–6 April at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain.

Going into the race, McLaren's Lewis Hamilton led the Championship by 3 points from current World Champion Kimi Räikkönen of Ferrari and Nick Heidfeld of BMW. McLaren also led the Constructors' Championship by 5 points from BMW and 13 points from World Champions Ferrari.

Report

Practice

Practice was marked by a big accident by Lewis Hamilton in Friday's second session. The McLaren driver went too wide over the exit kerb at Turn 7 and spun into the left side wall, destroying one side of the car.

Qualifying

ession 1

Sato ran wide at the final turn and spun his car close to the pit entrance, damaging the rear of his car. The session was red-flagged to drag his damaged car in at the 16th minute. Of the results, Davidson and Sato in their Super Aguri cars collected their two back-end slots on the grid, both Force Indias, Coulthard's Red Bull and Vettel's Toro Rosso are among the ones that didn't make it into Q2.

ession 2

Massa in managed to push almost 0.8 seconds in a light Ferrari with fresh tires, making a time of 1:31.188. Both the Red Bull and Toro Rosso failed to progress pass this session. Alonso produced a late fast lap to place himself into the top-10, and so is Button in his sister Honda. Webber, Barrichello, Glock, Piquet Jr., Bourdais and Nakajima were the ones that were knocked out after this session, and took up the grid 11 to 16 respectively.

ession 3

Kubica showed the raw pace his BMW is capable of, and snatched the pole position with a stunning time of 1:33.096. Massa was not able to break the time and ranked second, with Hamilton separating the Ferrari duo in his McLaren, in third. Räikkönen shared the second row with Hamilton in fourth. Kovalainen, Heidfeld, Trulli, Rosberg, Button and Alonso completed the top-10 line up.

Race

At the start both Massa and Kubica started well yet Massa managed to pass Kubica's BMW. Lewis Hamilton got away very slowly, dropping right into the midfield. Kovalainen jumped this chance and advanced into fourth as the pack traveled into the first corner. Further back at the grid, Vettel's car was damaged at turn four, with its engine blown at turn five. Hamilton completed the first lap in ninth, behind Alonso in his Renault. Button was hit from behind and punctured his rear tire. He pitted before rejoining the race

On lap two Hamilton crashed into the back of Alonso's Renault, destroying his own front wing and a chance of winning points. Piquet also spun in his Renault, after complaining for gearbox trouble during the formation lap. Coulthard had also pitted, having a puncture as well.

Lap three saw Trulli, Rosberg and Webber battling for the 6th, 7th and 8th places respectively, though none were able to pass the other during the first stage of the race. At the front, Räikkönen passed Kubica for the second place and putting two Ferrari cars ahead of the rest. At the end of the lap saw Heidfeld in fourth place, having overtaken Kovalainen at turn 10 despite making a mistake.

On lap 18, Kubica entered the pits for refueling. Rosberg soon followed suit in his Williams. At the back of the pack Button tried to pass Coulthard from the inside of turn 6 and it went wrong. Button was not able to respond with Coulthard blocking the inside for passing and crashed into the Red Bull, damaging his front wing and his suspension. Eventually Button retired on lap 20.

Later on, Piquet's Renault developed enough gearbox trouble and retired on lap 41. In the front, Webber passed Rosberg for 7th, and started chasing Trulli's Toyota hard. Despite the Australian spending the entire latter third of the race chasing Trulli, a pass was never materialized. Eventually Webber settled for 7th.

At the end, Massa won his first race of the season, leading his team-mate Räikkönen by 3.3 seconds and producing a Ferrari one-two finish. Kubica claimed the final podium of third and Heidfeld finished fourth in the sister BMW. Kovalainen was the only McLaren driver to finish in points, in fifth. Trulli, Webber and Rosberg completed the final points-paying finishes. Timo Glock was finally able to finish the race, despite being classified 9th and out of points.

Post-Race

In his Middle East debut, R&B singer Akon performed for ticketholders on the starting grid after the race.

Classification

Qualifying

Race

Notes

* First Pole position: Robert Kubica, BMW Sauber and Poland.
* Lap leaders: Felipe Massa 51 (1–39, 46–57), Robert Kubica 2 (40–41) and Nick Heidfeld 4 (42–45).
* This race marked the end for McLaren’s run of consecutive podiums, a total of 19 starting at the 2007 Australian Grand Prix and ending at the 2008 Malaysian Grand Prix.
* This race marked the first time that Felipe Massa has won a race that he didn't start from pole. This was also Massa's second Bahrain victory making it back to back in 07 and 08.
* There was more controversy between former McLaren teammates Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, when the former, trying to make up after a bad start, lost his front wing after hitting the back of the latter (now driving for Renault) while trying to pass him. Early suggestions that Alonso may have brake-tested Hamilton were refuted by Autosport.com which said it had seen Renault telemetry data which "shows that Alonso was flat on the throttle from the exit, did not touch the brake and gained speed in a totally predictable manner." [cite news|url=http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/66448 |title=Renault rubbish 'brake test' suggestions |date=2008-04-06 |publisher=autosport.com |accessdate=2008-04-06] Formula1.com has confirmed that the collision was caused by a broken front wing on Hamilton's car. [cite news|url=http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/4/7615.html |title=Front wing failure caused Hamilton-Alonso crash |date=2008-04-07 |publisher=formula1.com |accessdate=2008-04-07]
* For the first time in its history, BMW Sauber reached the first position of the Constructor Championship.

References

External links

*Official Bahrain Grand Prix results [http://www.fia.com/sport/Championships/F1/F1_Classifications/2008/Bahrain/class.html from FIA website] [http://www.formula1.com/results/season/2008/789/ from Formula 1 website]
* [http://www.manipef1.com/results/2008/bahrain.php Detailed Bahrain Grand Prix results]

F1_race_report
Name_of_race=Bahrain Grand Prix
Year_of_race=2008
Previous_race_in_season=2008 Malaysian Grand Prix
Next_race_in_season=2008 Spanish Grand Prix
Previous_year's_race=2007 Bahrain Grand Prix
Next_year's_race=2009 Bahrain Grand Prix