Alonso Triumphs in 2010 Formula 1™ Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix

Manama, 13th March 2010: The 2010 FIA Formula 1™ World Championship is underway after a thrilling victory for double world champion Fernando Alonso, leading home a Ferrari 1-2 finish ahead of team-mate Felipe Massa. The 308km race, which was played out in 35° heat, produced an enthralling battle between the two Ferrari stars and 22-year-old German Sebastian Vettel in the Red Bull who had dominated the early running after storming away from pole position.

Having joked about the prospect of a big battle at the first corner after they qualified second and third, Massa and Alonso did indeed square up to each other as they braked for the first corner and Alonso used his advantage on the inside line to sweep past his Brazilian team mate. The fourth-placed McLaren of Lewis Hamilton also had a tentative look at getting involved but discretion proved to be the better part of valour and he slotted back into line.
Australia’s Mark Webber in the second Red Bull meanwhile enveloped the field in an enormous plume of oil smoke as they accelerated out into the Sakhir desert, with the returning seven-time Formula 1™ champion Michael Schumacher taking the opportunity to slip past. Remarkably Webber’s engine held out but in the oily smog the Renault of Robert Kubica and the Force India of Adrian Sutil tangled, dropping them to the back of the order, while Hamilton took a lunge on Massa going into Turn 4 and dropped back behind the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg.

Nailing the opening lap to open up a two second lead, Vettel’s performance throughout the first third of the race was imperious. By lap 17 he had stretched his advantage to 8.3 seconds before heading for his first tyre change with Alonso following him in – when the combination of slick Ferrari pit work and a fiery out-lap saw the Spaniard reclaim a full three seconds from Vettel’s advantage.

Keeping the pressure on, Alonso stalked Vettel while the Red Bull team began to show concern over the level of tyre wear he was incurring. In fact the tyres would soon be the least of Vettel’s problems as an exhaust failed, robbing the Red Bull of vital power and allowing Alonso to cruise past him at the end of lap 33, with Massa slipping past at Turn 1 as they began lap 34.

Yet more mechanical dramas beset the tail end of the field, with both of the all-new Virgin Racing team’s entries of Timo Glock and Lucas di Grassi, the Saubers of Pedro de la Rosa and Kamui Kobayashi and the Renault of Russian debutant Vitaly Petrov all succumbing to the rigours of the event. The Lotus of Jarno Trulli also ground to a halt on the last lap after nursing a hydraulic problem, but was classified as a finisher which brought cheer to the new Malaysian team as team-mate Heikki Kovalainen crossed the line in 15th place.

Once out in front, Alonso set the fastest lap of the race with Massa comfortably behind, while Vettel began to slip backwards. It took four laps for Lewis Hamilton’s McLaren to close up and scythe down the inside of the limping Red Bull going into Turn 1 and then the battling Mercedes pair of Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher began to close in.

Under enormous pressure to the finish, Vettel managed to defend his position from Rosberg with Schumacher, whose engineers believed he could get past on the last lap, having to settle for sixth place in his return to the sport. Behind them defending world champion Jenson Button managed to stave off Webber’s Red Bull to hold seventh place, with the final points positions falling to the Force India of Vitantonio Liuzzi and the Williams of Rubens Barrichello.
Marking victory on his debut with Scuderia Ferrari, and becoming the most successful driver in the seven-year history of the Formula 1™ Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix with his third triumph, Alonso leapt from the cockpit and beat his chest with delight. “It is a very special day for me,” he beamed. “Coming back to the top of the podium is special but it is even more special with Ferrari, with all the history behind the team and the expectation the driver has. There is no better way to start the relationship. I'm at the best team in the world.”

After suffering a serious head injury in qualifying for last year’s Hungarian Grand Prix, Felipe Massa contained his disappointment at losing out to his new team-mate upon his return to Formula 1™. "It's just fantastic to be here,” he said. “Thanks to God that I am fine and thanks to everybody that supported me both at home and in every country. I got so many letters, so thank you. It was a strange race. I didn't have a good start and I lost position to Fernando but then after that it was great.”

Racing action, family entertainment and celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of Formula 1™ filled the Bahrain International Circuit throughout the weekend, with an all-action weekend being enjoyed by a bumper crowd of 100,000 (19,700 Friday, 36,900 Saturday, 43,400 Sunday).

The Chevrolet Supercars Middle East Championship put on an enthralling display as the three title contenders – local hero Fahad Al Musalam, Saudi charger Abdulaziz Al Yaeesh and Australian Tarek Elgammal – enjoyed a panel-bashing battle of lurid slides and locked brakes at every corner with Elgammal ending up victorious. The final GP2 Asia Series clash of the season saw Giacomo Ricci storm through from fourth on the grid to take the spoils, while the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup saw Rene Rast complete a perfect weekend with his second win in two days.

In recognition of the 60th anniversary of the FIA Formula 1™ World Championship a total of 18 former champions had gathered not only to witness the start of the new season but also to relive some of their greatest achievements on and off the track. The highlight for the drivers and fans alike was the pre-race cavalcade in which the stars took to the track in some of the most celebrated cars in the sport’s history. At the head of the field were 1964 world champion John Surtees, reunited with his Ferrari 1512, three-time champion Sir Jackie Stewart at the wheel of his 1973 title-winning Tyrrell 006, double champion Emerson Fittipaldi in his victorious 1972 Lotus 72 and 1978 title winner Mario Andretti reunited with the iconic Lotus 79 in which he claimed the crown.

“Never have I seen such excitement about the start of the Formula 1™ season, and we were honoured to host such an amazing event here at the Bahrain International Circuit,” said Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa, acting CEO at the BIC. “Once again the entire team here worked so hard to deliver the best possible experience for the fans. It has been a fantastic weekend and the start of an intriguing world championship ahead.”