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Formula 1
Bahrain GP
2015 Bahrain Grand Prix Sunday - Bahrain Grand Prix
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Alonso is set for a busy last few laps - Hulkenberg and Nasr are not far behind and closing on his 11th place.
Replays show Vettel having a massive lock-up as he pursues Bottas.
Raikkonen is 7.6s behind Rosberg now, so his lap-by-lap pace advantage is decreasing.
Kvyat is now back up to a faster pace and pulling away from Alonso again in 10th.
Vettel takes a bit of a look at Bottas's inside on the back straight but it's not a serious passing attempt.
"Gap to Kimi is now 8.5", Rosberg is told.
"Don't tell me the gap anymore!" is the response from the cockpit.
"Don't tell me the gap anymore!" is the response from the cockpit.
The Saubers swap places - Nasr passes Ericsson for 13th.
Vettel is getting right up with Bottas by the apex of Turn 1 but isn't close enough on the straight to pull off a pass.
"Staying at this pace we should hit Rosberg in five laps," Ferrari tells Raikkonen. He's 8.5s behind now.
EDD STRAW: "Raikkonen's advantage down to 1.6s that lap. There's a danger that, by the time he's with them, the advantage of the tyres won't be so great and he will have a hard time passing."
Vettel remains trapped under Bottas's rear wing. He's within DRS range but can't make it count out of the final corner.
Raikkonen is making up most of his time in the middle sector - where those soft tyres are paying off.
Despite that radio chat, Perez takes another second out of Massa ahead.
Force India also reassures Perez that he might not have to catch Massa on track as it's sure he'll need a third pitstop.
Hamilton v Rosberg has been a bit of a non-event today, and the lead is back up to over five seconds out front. Rosberg v Raikkonen is the fight.
Force India tells Perez he's catching Massa but needs to save fuel. They're 3.6s apart for eighth.
EDD STRAW: "Raikkonen took another two seconds out of Rosberg last time round. But we will likely see Raikkonen's pace advantage start to get smaller."
Lotus managed to get Maldonado's car going again and he's back out in 15th, a minute behind the midfield but clear of the Manors.
10.1s is the gap at the start of lap 46. Yes, Rosberg has traffic, but Raikkonen is coming...
Alonso is catching fellow two-stopper Kvyat at about a second per lap for 10th. They're 16.2s apart with 12 laps left.
12.2s is now the gap between Rosberg and Raikkonen, down from 14.1s on the previous lap. Lap 45/57.
Ricciardo sets his best lap of the race, but he's 15.2s behind Bottas/Vettel and 12.5s ahead of Grosjean and not going to catch anyone.
Raikkonen takes 1.9s out of Rosberg on that lap. Raikkonen is told to "make hay" while the Mercedes drivers deal with backmarkers.
"Nico, do be aware, we think Kimi is a threat. He is forecast to catch you before the end of the race," says Mercedes on the radio.
EDD STRAW: "Raikkonen took another two seconds out of Rosberg last time round and is on course to take a similar amount out of him this lap. Looks like he will be able to catch Rosberg."
Raikkonen is warned that he will catch the same traffic that the Mercedes drivers have dealt with. Ferrari says "we'll be on it" with making sure blue flags are waved.
Vettel is now absolutely on Bottas's tail for fourth.
Raikkonen takes 2.1s out of Rosberg on that lap. Gap down to 14.1s.
A brewing battle for eighth: Perez is surging up behind Massa, who may have to pit again yet.
Rosberg is now complaining about the same traffic that was bothering Hamilton earlier. He asked if the cars in question are going to stop, but he's told that they are going to the end so he's going to have to rely on blue flags.
"I got anti-stall," Maldonado said in the pits. He was urged to pull the clutch but had to give up as the engine was dead.
EDD STRAW: "Raikkonen is lapping almost three seconds faster than Rosberg, but can't count on that pace advantage lasting all the way through the stint. Currently 16 seconds behind."
Vettel is now within 1.3s of Bottas for fourth.
A replay shows a puff of smoke and a sideways twitch from the Lotus as it entered the pitlane.
Stopwatch
Fastest lap for Raikkonen - 1m36.311s. He's 16.2s behind Rosberg now - that's nearly three seconds in two laps since he stopped.
Looks like this is the end of Maldonado's eventful race. A squirt of extinguisher on his front wheels.
Smoke is absolutely pouring from the front brakes of Maldonado's Lotus in the pits and he's still static.
Nasr also makes a third and final pitstop, moving Perez and Kvyat up.
Hamilton is complaining about traffic, as Rosberg brings the gap down to 4.5s.
Maldonado makes his final pitstop from seventh, elevating two-stopping team-mate Grosjean.
By: Glenn Freeman, Edd Straw, Ben Anderson, Matt Beer, Lawrence Barretto
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