2015 BAHRAIN GP: LEWIS WINNER, KIMI STAR OF THE SHAKIR SUNDAY NIGHT

Lewis Hamilton claimed his third win of the season with a controlled drive to the chequered flag in Bahrain, but it was Kimi Raikkonen who shone under the lights of the Sakhir Circuit as the Finn closed a 19-second gap to Nico Rosberg in the closing stages of the race to steal second place from the Mercedes driver two laps from home.

After a solid start, Hamilton controlled the race effortlessly from the front, the only blip in an otherwise regulation race coming from of a slow first pit stop that briefly saw the champion drop back toward the chasing pack. He soon restored order though and eventually took the chequered flag 3.3s ahead of Raikkonen after backing off on the final laps.

Rosberg and Raikkonen, meanwhile, tussled mightily in the closing laps, with Raikkonen working a soft-medium-soft tyre strategy against his rivals choice of mediums for the final stint to erase a 19-second gap to Rosberg in the closing stages. Rosberg pushed hard to defend but brake issues at the end of the race led to the German running wide two laps from home and the Ferrari man swept past to claim an excellent second place.

Bahrain Grand Prix, Sakhir, Bahrain.
57 laps, 308.238km., Weather: Dry.

CLASSIFIED:
 P.    DRIVER             TEAM             TIME   
 1. Lewis Hamilton      Mercedes AMG   1h35:05.809
 2. Kimi Raikkonen      Ferrari         +    3.380
 3. Nico Rosberg        Mercedes AMG    +    6.033
 4. Valtteri Bottas     Williams        +   42.957
 5. Sebastian Vettel    Ferrari         +   43.989
 6. Daniel Ricciardo    Red Bull        + 1:01.751
 7. Romain Grosjean     Lotus           + 1:24.763
 8. Sergio Perez        Force India     +    1 Lap
 9. Daniil Kvyat        Red Bull        +    1 Lap
10. Felipe Massa        Williams        +    1 Lap
11. Fernando Alonso     McLaren         +    1 Lap
12. Felipe Nasr         Sauber          +    1 Lap
13. Nico Hulkenberg     Force India     +    1 Lap
14. Marcus Ericsson     Sauber          +    1 Lap
15. Pastor Maldonado    Lotus           +    1 Lap
16. Will Stevens        Manor           +   2 Laps
17. Roberto Merhi       Manor           +   3 Laps

Fastest lap: Kimi Raikkonen - 1:36.311                  

NOT CLASSIFIED:
DRIVER             TEAM         ON LAP            
Max Verstappen     Toro Rosso     34
Carlos Sainz JR.   Toro Rosso     30
Jenson Button      McLaren     not started