Formula 1 News

2008 Bahrain Grand Prix: first win in 2008 for Felipe Massa 

On the 5th edition of the Bahrain Grand Prix, Felipe Massa has snatched his first win in 2008, responding at the same time to recent criticisms following his mistake in Malaysia. The Brazilian was followed by teammate Kimi Raikkonen (2nd) and Robert Kubica (3rd). Nick Heidfeld finished 4th, showing once again that BMW-Sauber is on the right path to fight along with Ferrari and McLaren. Heidfeld was followed by McLaren’s Heikki Kovalainen (5th), Jarno Trulli (6th), Mark Webber (7th) and Nico Rosberg (8th).

Lewis Hamilton finished 13th after a disastrous race. The Briton had a really bad start loosing several positions and broke his front wing after hitting Fernando Alonso’s R28.

2008 Bahrain Grand Prix, lap by lap highlights:

• Lap 1: Race start. Felipe Massa gains immediately P1 following a great start. Robert Kubica follows on P2, Kimi Raikkonen on P3. Bad start for Hamilton: he’s now on P10.
• Lap 2: Heikki Kovalainen had a great start and gained P4. Sebastian Vettel out. Lewis Hamilton collides onto Alonso’s R28 back and brakes his front wing.
• Lap 3: Hamilton heads to the pits for a front wing change. Kimi Raikkonen overtakes Kubica and gains P2. The two Ferraris are leading the race. Heidfeld overtakes Kovalainen: the German is on P4.
• Lap 4: Massa is ahead of Raikkonen by 3”. The two BMWs are following with 4” and 6″ gap each, Kovalainen on P5, Trulli on P6, Rosberg on P7 and Webber on P8.
• Lap 5: Hamilton on P18. Kubica is trying to overtake Raikkonen but the Finn defends his position.
• Lap 6: Giancarlo Fisichella had a great start: the Italian gained seven positions.
• Lap 10: Felipe Massa leads by 4” on Raikkonen, 6″ on Kubica, 9″ on Heidfeld and 10″ on Kovalainen. Hamilton on P18 with a 57″ gap from the race leader.
• Lap 12: Toyota’s Jarno Trulli defends P6 from Nico Rosberg’s attacks.
• Lap 17: Pit stop for pole-man Robert Kubica and Rosberg.
• Lap 18: Collision between Jenson Button and David Coulthard. Button lost the front wing, he’s heading to the pits.
• Lap 20: Pit stop for Raikkonen, Trulli and Alonso.
• Lap 21: Jenson Button out. Pit stop for Massa, Heidfeld and Coulthard.
• Lap 24: Massa 1st, Raikkonen 2nd, Kubica 3rd, Heidfeld 4th, Kovalainen 5th, Trulli 6th, Webber 7th.
• Lap 26: Massa and Raikkonen are leading the race. Kubica back by 12″, Heidfeld 17″, Koavalainen 28″ and Trulli 33″.
• Lap 34: Raikkonen is pushing on Massa. Kubica 3rd, Heidfeld 4th.
• Lap 37: Massa, Raikkonen, Kubica, Heidfeld, Kovalainen, Trulli, Webber, Rosberg, Glock and Alonso.
• Lap 38: Pit stop for Raikkonen.
• Lap 39: Pit stop for Massa.
• Lap 41: Pit stop for Kubica. Nelson Piquet out: problems with gearbox.
• Lap 43: Pit stop for Trulli.
• Lap 44: Hamilton on P14.
• Lap 45: Pitstop for Nick Heidfeld.
• Lap 47: Pit stop for Kovalainen.
• Lap 48: Robert Kubica (P3) pushing hard on Raikkonen. The Polish has a 3″ gap.
• Lap 52: Five laps remaining: Massa, Raikkonen, Kubica, Heidfeld, Kovalainen, Trulli, Webber, Rosberg, Glock, Alonso, Barrichello, Fisichella, Nakajima, Hamilton, Bourdais, Davidson, Sato, Coulthard and Sutil.
• Lap 57: Felipe Massa wins the 2008 Bahrain Grand Prix. Kimi Raikkonen 2nd, Robert Kubica 3rd, Nick Heidfeld 4th, Heikki Kovalainen 5th, Jarno Trulli 6th, Mark Webber 7th and Nico Rosberg 8th.

2008 Bahrain Grand Prix Race Results: