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Formula 1
Bahrain GP
2012 Bahrain Grand Prix The Bahrain Grand Prix
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Lap 54: Vettel's lead is now 3.4 seconds over Raikkonen's Lotus, with team-mate Grosjean still a strong third.
Lap 54: Massa is 2.8s further back in 10th, then comes Schumacher, who is still fending off Perez.
Lap 54: Alonso has fallen back to 4.3s behind Button. Hamilton is now beginning to give the Spaniard some serious attention.
Lap 54: Button is encouraged on by his McLaren team, who are eying a move on the fading di Resta.
Lap 53: Five laps remain in an action-packed Bahrain Grand Prix.
Lap 53: Rosberg smokes his tyres into the first corner and dives past di Resta. The Scot fights back but it is too late and Rosberg is up to fifth.
Lap 52: Alonso (eighth) is 3.7s down on Button, with Hamilton just one second behind the Ferrari. Kobayashi gives up the ghost and pits from 14th.
Lap 52: Di Resta is told to use "double KERS" to defend from Rosberg's DRS, which works for the moment in keeping the Mercedes behind.
Lap 52: Button is seventh behind the di Resta versus Rosberg scrap, but as they fight he is beginning to close them in.
Lap 52: Meanwhile, Vettel has the lead back out to 3.4 seconds and seems to be keeping Raikkonen at bay for the moment.
Lap 51: Pressure all over the gearbox of di Resta, but he is resiting Rosberg for the moment.
Lap 51: Hulkenberg moves to the outside of the Sauber and cuts back in at the exit of Turn 4. He gets a better drive off the corner and takes 13th.
Lap 50: Rosberg has closed to under a second behind di Resta as the Scot begins to struggle for grip on his elderly rubber.
Lap 50: Hulkenberg is now on top of Kobayashi as the Japanese driver's tyres continue to fade. This is a fight for 13th.
Lap 49: Raikkonen clears traffic in the form of Petrov's Caterham and continues his chase of leader Vettel.
Lap 49: Raikkonen turns up the wick and closes to 2.6 seconds off the leader.
Lap 49: Hulkenberg in 14th posts his best lap of the race so far and is catching up to Kobayashi quickly.
Lap 49: Force India looks to be gambling on two stops for di Resta, so his aging tyres may be a bit of a struggle over the final laps.
Lap 48: MercedesAMGF1: "Michael chasing MAS but defending on PER at the same time. All for 1 championship point. Come on Michael!"
Lap 48: Di Resta continues in a fine fifth, with Rosberg on a similar pace just 1.5 seconds further behind.
Lap 48: Perez also nipped through and passed his Sauber team-mate and the Mexican is now on Schumacher's tail again.
Lap 46: Still over 10 laps remaining, so Raikkonen may be attempting to keep life in the rubber for the closing stages.
Lap 46: Webber is a customary fourth, with sizable gaps both in front and behind the Red Bull.
Lap 46: Schumacher quickly gets past the Sauber and takes over 11th.
Lap 45: Kobayashi's pace is fading in 11th. Schumacher and Perez are now right with him.
Lap 45: Raikkonen has the lead gap pegged at 3.3 seconds, lapping on a similar pace to Vettel now. Grosjean is only just edging closer at the moment
Lap 44: Hulkenberg is 14th in the second Force India, with Senna 15th, Vergne 16th and Ricciardo jumped ahead of Petrov in the last round of stops to take 17th.
Lap 44: Massa maintains 10th with Kobayashi 11th, Schumacher 12th and Perez less than one second behind him in 13th.
Lap 44: Alonso holds onto eighth, but Hamilton - now clear of Kobayashi - is beginning to catch the Ferrari again.
Lap 43: Grosjean is the fastest of the top three at the moment by a fraction, but now 10 seconds off the lead.
Lap 43: Vettel is pressing home his advantage on fresh tyres, pulling 3.2 seconds clear of Raikkonen, who clears backmarker de la Rosa.
Lap 42: Webber is fourth, with di Resta up to fifth and question marks remaining over whether the Force India needs to stop again.
Lap 42: Massa is next onto the heels of the Japanese driver and looking set to have a go ... yes, the Ferrari is through on the run to Turn 11.
Lap 41: @WilliamsF1Team reports in on Maldonado's puncture-related retirement: "Pastor really disappointed as he says car felt best it has so far and he felt points were possible"
Lap 41: Hamilton is in prime position and it's a textbook move past Kobayashi and into ninth place at Turn 1.
Lap 41: Vettel's lead is now 2.2 seconds again over Raikkonen, with Grosjean resuming in third after a quick stop for Lotus.
Lap 41: Perez is also quick on his new tyres and determined to get back past Schumacher, as they fight for 12th.
Lap 41: Battles developing again down the field and Hamilton in 10th is now all over the back of Kobayashi's Sauber.
Lap 41: Grosjean pits his Lotus on the next lap.
By: Emlyn Hughes, Geoff Creighton, Simon Strang
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