Bahrain GP: Bridgestone race notes

Ferrari's Felipe Massa has won the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix, beating McLaren Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton by 2.3 seconds. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) took third position, just 8.5 seconds behind Hamilton.

Massa converted the 100th pole position on Bridgestone Potenzas at the 5.4 km Bahrain International Circuit into his third race win in 74 Grands Prix, setting the race's fastest lap on the way. Hamilton started the race from the front row for the first time in his three race Formula One career, and kept the pressure on Massa for the entirety of the race.

Nick Heidfeld underlined the pace of the BMW Sauber package by finishing in fourth place, ahead of Malaysian Grand Prix winner Fernando Alonso (McLaren Mercedes). Robert Kubica (BMW Sauber) took sixth, ahead of dicing Italians Jarno Trulli (Toyota) and Giancarlo Fisichella (Renault) who took the final championship points.

The Drivers' Championship now has a three-way tie between Alonso, Raikkonen and Hamilton, with all three on 22 points. McLaren Mercedes head the Constructors' Championship on 44 points from Ferrari on 39 with BMW Sauber in third on 18.

After a three week gap the season resumes with the Spanish Grand Prix on May 11-13.

Kees van de Grint, Bridgestone Motorsport Head of Track Engineering Operations:

"It was an exciting race thanks in the first place to the drivers and also to the television producer for following all of the action throughout the field. I also believe that Bridgestone was an important contributor to the excitement by producing a very well suited high performance Potenza tyre which has allowed three different winners in as many races. Our medium compound was the preferred choice here and performed extremely well. The hard was clearly less favourable in all aspects."

-credit: bridgestone