Vettel wins in Bahrain to go back on top

Tuesday, 24 April 2012 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Reuters: World champion Sebastian Vettel celebrated Red Bull’s first victory of the season and went back to the top of the standings on Sunday after a Bahrain Grand Prix that put Formula One in the eye of a desert storm.

The German’s sigh of relief on the podium was echoed by teams and bosses after the race, scheduled against a backdrop of anti-government protests and nightly clashes between police firing teargas at petrol-bomb throwing youths, went ahead without incident and despite worldwide condemnation.

The 24-year-old Vettel’s 22nd career triumph, and his first in the troubled Gulf kingdom, made him the fourth different winner in four races - the first time that has happened since 2003.

“I think it was an incredible race. Extremely tough,” he told reporters.

Vettel now has 53 points, ousting McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton from the top. The Briton, who finished eighth after two nightmare pitstops, has 49.

Champions Red Bull also overtook McLaren in the constructors’ battle. The German was pushed hard in the closing laps by Finland’s 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen, who had started 11th and finished second ahead of Lotus team mate Romain Grosjean in the Frenchman’s first appearance on the F1 podium.

Raikkonen had the benefit of several sets of fresh tyres for the race, having missed the final phase of qualifying on Saturday, and he made them count on a circuit that delivered an enthralling race.

Last year’s Bahrain race was cancelled due to a bloody crackdown on the pro-democracy uprising and the 2010 event is remembered mostly for a complete lack of overtaking or excitement. In that respect Sunday was also not normal. Raikkonen was challenging Vettel from the halfway point, with a first victory since his last year with Ferrari in 2009 looking a real possibility.

“Given the fact that Kimi found a dealership somewhere where he got some new tyres from, which allowed him to start every new stint on new tyres, it was extremely tough to keep them behind us,” smiled Vettel.

“Once he was very close and I thought he would get more than just one shot but it turned out to be enough and in the end I was even pulling away a little bit.”

Australian Mark Webber was fourth in the other Red Bull for the fourth successive race with the top four cars all powered by Renault engines.

“It was a difficult race, extremely tough,” said Vettel, who closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he stood on the podium before taking a gulp of the winner’s non-alcoholic fizz. The main grandstand looked half empty, and there were few spectators to be seen elsewhere at a circuit with a maximum capacity of 45,000, but organisers put the Sunday attendance at 28,000 with a three-day crowd of 70,000.