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By: Geoff Creighton

Summary

Status: Stopped
Here's our full report of an absolutely nail-biting Bahrain Grand Prix. Thanks for joining us. We'll see you again in just a few days for the Chinese Grand Prix.
Sebastian Vettel wins Bahrain GP in tense finish with Valtteri Bottas
"I started ninth so third is not bad at all. It's damage limitation" Hamilton says.
 
"I had nothing to lose - staying out and trying to win or finish third" says Vettel of Ferrari's strategic switch to leave him out forever on those softs.
 
Bottas: "I was seeing red! I knew there would be a chance at the end. But it wasn't quite enough."
Vettel: "I tried to keep it as clean as possible. The Mercedes were very fast at the end of the stints. Valtteri had a bit of a sniff but it was just enough". Vettel confirms Ferrari switched plan on strategy too.
 
He's cheering up now as they start spraying the champagne!
Hamilton looks a bit subdued on the podium. Despite an impressive charge back to third after that gearbox penalty, perhaps he's ruing those radio problems that seemed to hamper his efforts to know how hard to push to catch the leaders without destroying his tyres.
Vettel comes skipping onto the podium - delighted to take back-to-back wins after that tyre management marathon.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The three non-finishers were Raikkonen, who had that disastrous pitstop that appeared to injure a mechanic, and the two Red Bulls, which both stopped out on the circuit early on.
Leclerc, Grosjean's damaged Haas, and the two slow Williams complete the finishers, with Stroll less than a second clear of team-mate Sirotkin.
Perez just held off Hartley for 12th, just 0.027s in it in their drag race to the flag.
Ocon stole the final point away from Sainz for Force India.
Ericsson clung on to grab two points for Sauber in ninth.
Magnussen takes fifth for Haas, making up for that Melbourne disaster. Hulkenberg was a comfortable sixth in the end, with Alonso and Vandoorne seventh and eighth for McLaren.
Gasly takes a brilliant fourth for Toro Rosso-Honda.
Bottas takes second, and Hamilton comes home third just six seconds off the win.
Vettel does it! He wins the Bahrain Grand Prix in a nail-biting finish!
Just a couple of corners to go now for Vettel, who hasn't put a wheel wrong. Masterful.
Ocon has finally broken Sainz's resolve and moved up to 10th to nab the final point.
It looks like Vettel has enough.
Vettel needs a good exit from the Turn 10 hairpin.
Bottas has one more chance, surely, on the back straight. Can Vettel hang on?
Bottas has a look! But Vettel defends and hangs on.
They start the last lap with Bottas 0.4s behind!
Vettel's lead is six tenths with a lap and a half to go.

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