Formula One Bahrain Grand Prix

14 March 2010

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Bahrain: Fernando Alonso took the chequered flag ahead of team mate Felipe Massa to claim a stunning Ferrari one-two.

Sebastian Vettel who started the Bahrain Grand Prix in pole could do nothing as Alonso swept past as the Red Bull suffered from a faulty spark plug. One lap later he found himself in the same position as Ferrari's other driver Massa followed his team mate and to add to Vettel's frustration Hamilton was next to zip past the hapless German. .

Vettel did manage to retain fourth, holding off the Mercedes pair Nico Rosberg and returning former world champion Michael Schumacher.

On his return after three years in retirement, the seven-time world champion was in better form in the race than he had been in qualifying.

Schumacher though was unable to stay with team-mate Rosberg during the early part of the race, spending more time holding off the challenges from a faster McLaren of Jenson Button.

Schumacher finished seventh ahead of Red Bull's Mark Webber, with Vitantonio Liuzzi of Force India in ninth and Rubens Barrichello in a Williams taking 10th to complete the point scorers..

If Bahrain is a good indicator Button will need to step up very quickly if he is to retain his crown, with McLaren unable to match the pace of the Ferraris and Red Bulls.

Vettel had taken an impressive pole position on Saturday and appeared to have the race under control as he inched away from Alonso in the early stages of the race.

But eventually the reliability troubles that had blighted the team's pre-season preparation, and their practice running here on Friday, hit them again.

Vettel had built a lead of 5.5 seconds over the Ferrari before his sole pit stop on lap 15, a lap before the double world champion.

By lap 18, Alonso had closed the lead down to 3.5secs and, although he edged closer, by lap 28 Vettel's advantage was still 2.4secs.

Two laps later, though, Alonso was just 1.1secs behind the prospects of a thrilling battle for the lead were dashed on lap 33 when Vettel's car developed problems and Alonso was able to pass on lap 34.

Massa followed Alonso through at the start of the next lap and the Ferraris took control of the race from then on.

Hamilton's McLaren was off the pace during qualifying but the British driver managed to coax more from his vehicle to be more competitive in the race.

McLaren though would feel encouraged after they had been more than a second away from Vettel and Massa during qualifying, and if Button had not been stuck behind the crafty Schumacher for much of the race, he may have been was unable to show his true pace.

Schumacher matched Rosberg's pace after their pit stops but he remains a long way from the imperious form he showed as he clocked up a record 91 victories in his first stint from 1991-2006.

Iconic race team Lotus who returned to F1 after years out faired the best of the new teams by virtue as they lasted the full race, which Virgin and Hispania failed to do.

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