2012 Bahrain Grand Prix The Bahrain Grand Prix

Bahrain qualifying

Hello everyone and welcome to AUTOSPORT Live for coverage of round four of this year's FIA Formula 1 world championship - the Bahrain Grand Prix from Sakhir.

Sebastian Vettel returned to the top of the sport yesterday in qualifying, grabbing his first pole of the season and the 31st of his career, ahead of Lewis Hamilton, Mark Webber and Jenson Button.

Nico Rosberg is fifth, but faces an uncertain first lap if he doesn't get away well, with Ricciardo, Grosjean and Perez all immediately behind him on the grid. Turn 1 could get tight between this group - particularly with a fast-starting Raikkonen coming up from 11th and likely to feature in the early exchanges.

Further down the list, it will be interesting to see whether Fernando Alonso, Felipe Massa and Michael Schumacher can score good points in today's 57-lap encounter.

Here's how the championships look after the first three rounds: Drivers: Constructors: 1. Hamilton 45 1. McLaren-Mercedes 88 2. Button 43 2. Red Bull-Renault 64 3. Alonso 37 3. Ferrari 37 4. Webber 36 4. Sauber-Ferrari 31 5. Vettel 28 5. Mercedes 26 6. Rosberg 25 6. Lotus-Renault 24 7. Perez 22 7. Williams-Renault 18 8. Raikkonen 16 8. Force India-Mercedes 9

The sparse crowd rises to stand as the Bahrain national anthem is played on the grid.

Weather conditions have changed considerably in the hours leading up to the race, with much more cloud around. At times it has even turned overcast.

There was even a short shower of light rain, but it didn't last too long and we start today's race with a dry track. Further showers are expected at the circuit, but only after the race.

Rain would need to be heavy to affect track condition, otherwise the high ambient temperature will quickly dry out any moisture.

A stiff northerly breeze means the drivers will face a head wind down the main straight - creating yet another factor in terms of DRS and overtaking.

Air temperature is 28 degrees and with a clouded sky that translates to a track surface temperature of 34 Celsius.

Here's how the grid will line up this afternoon: Pos Driver Team/Car 1. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 2. Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 3. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 4. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 5. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 6. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari 7. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 8. Sergio Perez Sauber-Ferrari 9. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 10. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 11. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus-Renault 12. Kamui Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 13. Nico Hulkenberg Force India-Mercedes 14. Felipe Massa Ferrari 15. Bruno Senna Williams-Renault 16. Heikki Kovalainen Caterham-Renault 17. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 18. Vitaly Petrov Caterham-Renault 19. Charles Pic Marussia-Cosworth 20. Pedro de la Rosa HRT-Cosworth 21. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault * 22. Michael Schumacher Mercedes * 23. Timo Glock Marussia-Cosworth 24. Narain Karthikeyan HRT-Cosworth * Five-place grid penalty for gearbox change

Final preparations for the drivers now as they move towards the cars and get last-minute instructions from the race engineers.

Tyres

Tyres will of course play a critical role in the strategy for today's race, with high degredation expected around the desert circuit.

The onset of cloud cover will help reduce track temperatures, while increasing grip levels always mean the track conditions improve as the race goes on.

Providing it doesn't rain significantly, a two or three stop plan look to be the options for completing the race, with drivers set to favour the more durable medium compound.

As demonstrated last week in China, a three stop strategy means emerging deep in traffic, requiring a lot of overtaking, meaning two stops could be worth the risk for anyone confident of holding off those on fresher rubber in the closing stages.

Five themes to watch for in Bahrain

Just five minutes to go until the formation lap begins at Sakhir.

All 24 drivers are on the grid, as they receive final instructions and advice from the race engineers.

Track temperature is continuing to drop - now down to 32 degrees Celsius.

Just one DRS zone available here, with the wing flap allowed to open down the main straight - giving an overtaking opportunity into Turn 1.

Michael Schumacher takes a drink to stock up on fluids. Despite the drop in temperature it will still be a hot and exhaustive race for the drivers.

Kobayashi is set to start on the medium compound from 12th.

Kovalainen is also on the harder Pirelli, with the rest of the field opting for soft rubber.

The engines fire with a minute to the formation lap.

The formation lap begins and polesitter Sebastian Vettel leads the field of 24 away from the grid.

Down through Turn 7 and into the tight right-hander at Turn 8 with Vettel taking them round rather slowly so far.

It is actually only Kobayashi in the Sauber on the medium compound for the first stint.

Vettel starts to pick up the pace a little as he continues down the penultimate straight and comes into the final corner.

Vettel is moving towards his grid slot and is backing the pack up behind him.

He stops at the pole position slot and they are forming up nicely. Are you ready? We await the lights ...

Lap 1: The five red lights go out and we are racing in Bahrain!

Lap 1: Vettel drops the hammer and it's a good start. Vettel leads into Turn 1 ahead of Hamilton and Webber.

Lap 1: Grosjean is up in a sensational fourth!

Lap 1: Through into the twisting middle part of the first lap it is Vettel from Hamtilton, Webber and fast starters Grosjean and Alonso.

Lap 1: Button has been shuffled back to sixth after being crowded out into the first turn.

Lap 1: Heavy mid-grid packing in the opening corners but they all seemed to get through alright. Schumacher is up to 20th.

Lap 2: Vettel is sprinting away up front and has a 2.2 second lead as they head into the second lap.

Lap 2: Kovalainen has been involved in an incident approaching Turn 10 and he is touring back towards the pits.

Lap 2: Di Resta passes Senna for 11th place at Turn 1 on the second lap.

Lap 2: Hamilton is chased by Webber, Grosjean and Alonso with Button then followed closely by Raikkonen, Massa and Rosberg.

Lap 2: Puncture for Kovalainen and he's back underway, but has lost a lot of ground.

Lap 3: Schumacher is continuing to progress. He is up to 18th and hounding Petrov.

Lap 3: Raikkonen is all over the gearbox of Button's McLaren and will have a chance to use DRS next time around.

Lap 3: Ricciardo made a shocking start to the race and lost a lot of places. The young Australian is down to 16th!

Lap 3: But Raikkonen is delayed by being too close to Button and Massa forces his way past with a bold move at Turn 1.

Lap 3: Behind the leaders, Massa is up to a solid eighth place and Rosberg made a poor start - he runs ninth, with Perez 10th.

Lap 4: Vettel continues with a strong early pace, already pulling over three seconds clear of Hamilton.

Lap 4: Rosberg, running ninth, looks like he is already nursing a flat spot on his front right tyre.