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Sir Lewis Hamilton says he enjoyed his battle with Max Verstappen and predicts there will be many more to come throughout the course of the season

Verstappen held onto his pole lead through two early race restarts - with a Nikita Mazepin spin causing a first-lap Safety Car - but, struggling with a throttle differential issue, could never extend a big gap to Hamilton. The Bahrain GP was always going to be won by either Hamilton or Verstappen as the star drivers, who shared the front row, showed pace early on to make it clear it was a two-horse race.īut with the momentum pendulum swinging throughout a pulsating evening in the desert, it wasn't clear who would come out on top until the end of the 56th and very last lap. Bahrain GP Race Resultġ0) Lance Stroll, Aston Martin How Hamilton beat Verstappen in first 2021 thriller Sakhir's opening race also saw Fernando Alonso retire on his F1 return, Sebastian Vettel pick up a 10-second penalty for a collision, and plenty of wheel-to-wheel racing through the field. Lando Norris was an impressive fourth for McLaren, with Sergio Perez recovering to fifth after being forced to start from the pit-lane following a formation lap reliability glitch. Valtteri Bottas was a distant third to complete the podium - not helped by a slow Mercedes pit-stop - although, adding insult to injury, took the fastest lap bonus point off Verstappen on the last lap. I am prepared to lose a win like that than be second like this."īut Red Bull had no choice due to a call from Bahrain race control, as team boss Christian Horner explained to the pre-race favourite. "I could have easily pulled those five seconds. "Why didn't you just let me go, man?" he said on team radio. Paul di Resta and Jenson Button reflect on an incredible battle between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen in Bahrain Sebastian Vettel's penalty-laden Aston Martin debutīut, dramatically, Verstappen was forced to cede the position back to Hamilton after executing the move at Turn Four while off the track.Hamilton explains 'immense' Verstappen pressure.'Why didn't you let me go?' Max Verstappen falls foul of rules.The lead changed hands three times between the predicted title protagonists before Verstappen, who started on pole, chased down Hamilton in the closing stages - even overtaking the Mercedes with three laps remaining as Red Bull looked set to lay down their marker for the championship.

Watch the dramatic Bahrain GP battle as Max Verstappen overtook Lewis Hamilton in the closing stages but crucially ran wide - having to give the position back to the Mercedes soon afterįormis alive and kicking as Lewis Hamilton won the Bahrain GP after surviving a gripping late-race battle with Max Verstappen - with the season-opener serving up an epic and ultimately controversial superstar duel.