2007 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 15
year=2007
Official name = IV Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix
Race_No = 3
Season_No = 17
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, dry, windy
Pole_Driver = Felipe Massa
Pole_Team = Ferrari
Pole_Time = 1:32.652
Pole_Country = Brazil
Fast_Driver = Felipe Massa
Fast_Team = Ferrari
Fast_Time = 1:34.067
Fast_L

Fast_Country = Brazil
First_Driver = Felipe Massa
First_Team = Ferrari
First_Country = Brazil
Second_Driver = Lewis Hamilton
Second_Team = McLaren-Mercedes
Second_Country= United Kingdom
Third_Driver = Kimi Räikkönen
Third_Team = Ferrari
Third_Country = FinlandThe 2007 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix is a Formula One motor race and is the third round of the 2007 Formula One season. It took place on the weekend of the 13-15 April at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain.

In practice 1 and 2, Kimi Räikkönen topped the charts. Lewis Hamilton also placed well. Vitantonio Liuzzi got a surprise 8th place result in 1st practice. Felipe Massa won the Grand Prix from Lewis Hamilton, who made history to become the first driver ever to finish on the podium in all his first three races.

Report

Practice

The Friday morning practice session saw both Ferraris top the time sheets with Kimi Räikkönen the fastest with a time of 1 minute, 33.162 seconds with his teammate, Felipe Massa, just over half a second slower then the Finn in second. The Italian team's nearest competition was the two McLarens of Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso who were third and fourth respectively, Hamilton just under a second slower then Räikkönen's time." [http://www.grandprix.com/race/r771p1report.html "Practice 1 - Report"] " GrandPrix. Retrieved 29 April 2007] " [http://www.grandprix.com/race/r771p1results.html "Practice 1 - Results"] " GrandPrix. Retrieved 29 April 2007]

Räikkönen was fastest again in the afternoon session, clocking a time of 1 minute, 33.527 seconds, just under four tenths slower then his fastest time during the morning session. Unlike the morning session, however, Ferrari did not have both their cars occupying the top two as Massa's fastest time was fourth fastest, with Hamilton and BMW Sauber's Robert Kubica separating the two Ferraris." [http://www.grandprix.com/race/r771p2report.html "Practice 2 - Report"] " GrandPrix. Retrieved 29 April 2007] " [http://www.grandprix.com/race/r771p2results.html "Practice 2 - Results"] " GrandPrix. Retrieved 29 April 2007]

It was six thousandths of a second that prevented Räikkönen from being fastest in all three practice sessions, but his run was ended by Lewis Hamilton with the lead BMW Sauber of Nick Heidfeld in third; Kubica fourth; Anthony Davidson's Super Aguri in fifth and Massa completing the top six, four tenths down on Hamilton's time." [http://www.grandprix.com/race/r771p3report.html "Practice 3 - Report"] " GrandPrix. Retrieved 29 April 2007] " [http://www.grandprix.com/race/r771p3results.html "Practice 3 - Results"] " GrandPrix. Retrieved 29 April 2007]

Qualifying

Qualifying was played out in temperatures of over 34 °C and despite a small shower of rain just after the morning practice session was over, the track itself was dry. Williams' Alexander Wurz was the first out onto the circuit with former Williams drivers David Coulthard and Jenson Button following him. Like the first practice session on Friday, the two Ferraris set the early pace, both recording laps in the 1 minute 32 second region, the only two cars to do so during Part One of Qualifying. The first six to be eliminated from qualifying were Takuma Sato, who was seventeen thousandths of a second slower then sixteenth place Jenson Button; both Toro Rossos of Liuzzi and Speed; both Spykers of Albers and Sutil and David Coulthard joined Albers at the back of grid after his Red Bull suffered a gearbox problem." [http://www.grandprix.com/race/r771q1report.html "Qualifying - Report"] " GrandPrix. Retrieved 29 April 2007] " [http://www.grandprix.com/race/r771q1results.html "Qualifying - Results"] " GrandPrix. Retrieved 29 April 2007]

The two Toyotas of Ralf Schumacher and Jarno Trulli left the pits first for Part Two of qualifying. Like in the first session, Ferrari were setting the pace, this time however it was Massa who was leading the way, with both their drivers setting times in the 1 minute 31 region, only to be split to Hamilton's McLaren. Button, who only just made the cut for the second round of qualifying, was slowest in the session, over two seconds slower then Massa's time. Joining the Brit was fellow Honda driver Rubens Barrichello; Ralf Schumacher; Davidson; Heikki Kovalainen and Wurz." [http://www.grandprix.com/race/r771q1report.html "Qualifying - Report"] " GrandPrix. Retrieved 29 April 2007] " [http://www.grandprix.com/race/r771q1results.html "Qualifying - Results"] " GrandPrix. Retrieved 29 April 2007]

Hamilton and the two BMW Saubers were first out in the final Part of qualifying, with Massa setting the early pace. The final part of the session saw Massa improve his time, lapping with a time of 1 minute, 32.652 seconds. Hamilton came second, just under three tenths slower then Massa, putting him on the front row in his third Formula One race. Kimi Räikkönen and Fernando Alonso made up row two, both BMW Saubers of Heidfeld and Kubica were fifth and sixth respectively; Giancarlo Fisichella and Mark Webber made up row four and Jarno Trulli and Nico Rosberg completed the top ten ninth and tenth respectively." [http://www.grandprix.com/race/r771q1report.html "Qualifying - Report"] " GrandPrix. Retrieved 29 April 2007] " [http://www.grandprix.com/race/r771q1results.html "Qualifying - Results"] " GrandPrix. Retrieved 29 April 2007]

Race

At the start, the two leaders maintained their positions with Alonso passing Räikkönen into the second corner to take third. Further back, Adrian Sutil, Jenson Button and Scott Speed were involved in a collision in turn four, with Button and Speed out on the spot, while Sutil managed to get back to the pits. The Safety Car was brought out to clear up the wreckage.
Vitantonio Liuzzi had a drive-through penalty on lap nine for overtaking under a safety car. On the same lap, Rosberg had an off-track excursion, losing a place to Coulthard in the process. The front two stayed in the same positions after the first round of stops, but Räikkönen got back past Alonso to take third.

Alonso began to lose ground, and was passed by Heidfeld. He stayed behind the BMW for the remainder of the race. The Renaults also began to struggle, with Coulthard managing to overtake Fisichella. However, both Red Bulls retired in quick succession, promoting Trulli and Fisichella to the points.

Massa won the Grand Prix, 2.3 seconds in front of rookie Hamilton." [http://www.grandprix.com/race/r771racereport.html "Race Report"] " GrandPrix. Retrieved 29 April 2007] " [http://www.grandprix.com/race/r771raceresults.html "Race Results"] " GrandPrix. Retrieved 29 April 2007]

After the race, Alonso, Räikkönen and Hamilton were equal on points. The last time the top three were level on points was in 1950 after the Indianapolis 500. By finishing second, Hamilton became the first driver in Formula One history to finish on the podium in each of his first three World Championship Grands Prix.

Classification

Qualifying

Race

Notes

* Fastest L
Felipe Massa, 1:34.067 (Lap 42, 207.120 km/h)
* Lap Leaders: Felipe Massa 51 (1 – 21, 24 – 40, 45 – 57), Lewis Hamilton 4 (41 – 44), Kimi Räikkönen 2 (22 – 23)

External links

* [http://www.fia.com/sport/Championships/F1/F1_Circuits/2007/Bahrain/circuit.html Bahrain Grand Prix results (fia.com)]
* [http://www.manipef1.com/results/2007/bahrain.php Detailed Bahrain Grand Prix results]

F1 race report
Name_of_race = Bahrain Grand Prix
Year_of_race = 2007
Previous_race_in_season = 2007 Malaysian Grand Prix
Next_race_in_season = 2007 Spanish Grand Prix
Previous_year's_race = 2006 Bahrain Grand Prix
Next_year's_race = 2008 Bahrain Grand Prix

References