Bahrain Grand Prix race day

20:02 Another fine grand prix in the books, then, and the 2017 title fight continues to rage in encouraging fashion. That's it from us at Autosport Live for another F1 weekend – do join us again in a couple of weeks for the Russian Grand Prix. In the meantime, here's our report from tonight's Bahrain fun:

Bahrain Grand Prix: Sebastian Vettel beats Lewis Hamilton to win

Sebastian Vettel claimed his second win of the 2017 Formula 1 season in the Bahrain Grand Prix, assisted by a five-second time penalty for Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton

19:58

19:56 Now for the most disappointed man on the podium, you'd imagine.

"It was a really tricky race for me, struggling for pace throughout" admits Bottas. "In the first stint we had a bit of an issue with the tyre pressures. Every stint after that I was rear-limited and out of tools on the steering wheel. It was just oversteering all through the race.

"For sure it's a real shame. The target was a lot, lot higher."

19:55

19:55 David Coulthard describes the penalty Hamilton picked up for holding back Ricciardo in the pitlane as "costly". Hamilton replies: "Definitely...My fault. Apologies to the team for losing time there."

19:54 And on that Hamilton pressure: "The car was really amazing to drive. I could control the pace in the end. Lewis was a threat towards the end and with the traffic you never know, but it was a controlled race."

19:52 Vettel on his 44th win: "Really great day, I don't know what to say. The last half of the in-lap, with the fireworks, it was just...I love what I do."

19:49 Now for the trophies – winners' pots for Vettel and Ferrari. Consolation prizes for Hamilton and Bottas.

19:49 The Ferrari team that has gathered underneath the podium is in fine voice. They are all as big fans of Inno di Mameli as Edd Straw is.

19:48 And now comes the much more buoyant Italian national anthem. Somewhere in the Bahrain media centre Autosport editor-in-chief Edd Straw is humming along joyously.

19:47 The German national anthem rings out in honour of Vettel's victory.

19:46 Out come the drivers for the podium presentation.

19:45 Vettel looks comfortably the happiest of the three drivers as they wait for the podium. Bottas doesn't look too flustered having converted his first pole into third – but the Finn never wildly swings from one emotion to another.

19:43 That's Vettel's 44th career victory, and puts him seven points clear of Hamilton at the top of the championship. This see-sawing start to the 2017 season continues.

19:41 Hamilton receives words of encouragement over the radio. "Tough day in the office" but a "great drive" in the second part, he's told.

19:40

19:39 Happy Vettel: "Wooooooo-hoo! Yes guys. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! That's what I'm talking about..."

19:38 Bottas hangs on for third ahead of Raikkonen, and Ricciardo completes the top five.

19:37 Second place for Hamilton.

19:37 Sebastian Vettel wins the Bahrain Grand Prix!

19:37 Raikkonen is two seconds behind Bottas now.

19:37 Final lap for Vettel. The chequered flag awaits.

19:36 Robust defence of 11th from Wehrlein! He's having none of it as Kvyat launches an attack around the outside of Turn 1.

19:36 Hamilton has now cleared the traffic, but he's called off the fight. He'll take second, so Vettel will move clear in the championship fight again.

19:35 Alonso returns to the pits to retire the McLaren. The first Honda-powered car failed to take the start, the second failed to make the finish.

19:35 There's another Mercedes/Ferrari fight developing out there - Raikkonen is 2.9s behind Bottas and catching at a big rate. That one is going to be tight at the flag.

19:35 "Engine problem," reports Alonso. No comment needed.

19:34 Two laps to go and the gap at the front is still six seconds. Hamilton's charge is over.

19:33 Hamilton is just 5.5s behind Vettel now. Remember his penalty? Five seconds for holding up Ricciardo entering the pits under the safety car. Ouch.

19:33 Alonso locks up into Turn1 and lets Kvyat through – and has now slowed up.

19:32 Vettel clears Wehrlein as well, having kept the gap at six seconds to Hamilton. Three laps to go at the end of this one, and no sign of Hamilton making gains of two seconds per lap.

19:32 Vettel passes Alonso into Turn 4, having lost 1.3s to Hamilton on the previous lap. 6.1s is the gap at the front, and Hamilton will have to pass this traffic soon too.

19:31 Nope! Alonso stays ahead into Turn 1. Gulps on the Ferrari pit wall.

19:31 Vettel picks off Kvyat in the final sector, and he should get a run at Alonso on the main straight. Not too painful.

19:30 Vettel needs these backmarkers to play ball. If they do, he should be OK.

19:30 The marshals have dealt with Ericsson's car quite swiftly, and rolled it out of the firing line. The yellow flags are withdrawn.

19:30 Traffic could decide this race, Vettel is catching Wehrlein, Alonso and Kvyat, who are all in a battle.

19:30 Seven tenths that time for Hamilton. The gap is 7.8s, and right now Vettel is doing enough to keep the Mercedes at bay.

19:29