In his first race for Formula 1’s most successful and iconic team, Fernando Alonso powered to victory at the 2010 Bahrain Grand Prix.
However, it should have arguably been Sebastian Vettel standing on the top step of the podium, with the German qualifying on pole position and comfortably leading in the early stages.
2010 was the one and only time that the longer endurance layout of the Bahrain International Circuit was used. The change was met by criticism from both drivers and fans and organisers reverted back to the original track for the next race to be held in the country in 2012.
Vettel led Alonso and Felipe Massa after the opening lap, with Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher next up. Mark Webber’s Red Bull released a plume of oil smoke at Turn 1, which triggered spins for Adrian Sutil and Robert Kubica. Vettel stopped for the first time on lap 18, later than the majority of the field.
He extended his lead over the following laps, but his pace dropped considerably in the closing stages, and it became clear that his RB6 had picked up a reliability issue. It was later confirmed to be a spark plug issue. He quickly dropped into the clutches of Alonso and couldn’t hold the two-time world champion back, with the Spaniard surging into the lead.
He took the chequered flag 16 seconds clear of his team-mate Massa to win on his Ferrari debut and give the Italian outfit a one-two finish – a dream start for Alonso and his new team. Hamilton moved up to third, with Vettel slipping to fourth and off the podium in the closing stages. Nico Rosberg and Schumacher were fifth and sixth, with Jenson Button seventh in his first race for McLaren.
Webber, Vitantonio Liuzzi and Rubens Barrichello rounded out the top 10 – with it also being the first race for the current points system. It was also the opening race for F1’s new teams – Lotus Racing, Hispania and Virgin Racing. Heikki Kovalainen was the only driver from the three outfits to finish, two laps down.
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| © Scuderia Ferrari |
2010 was the one and only time that the longer endurance layout of the Bahrain International Circuit was used. The change was met by criticism from both drivers and fans and organisers reverted back to the original track for the next race to be held in the country in 2012.
Vettel led Alonso and Felipe Massa after the opening lap, with Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher next up. Mark Webber’s Red Bull released a plume of oil smoke at Turn 1, which triggered spins for Adrian Sutil and Robert Kubica. Vettel stopped for the first time on lap 18, later than the majority of the field.
He extended his lead over the following laps, but his pace dropped considerably in the closing stages, and it became clear that his RB6 had picked up a reliability issue. It was later confirmed to be a spark plug issue. He quickly dropped into the clutches of Alonso and couldn’t hold the two-time world champion back, with the Spaniard surging into the lead.
He took the chequered flag 16 seconds clear of his team-mate Massa to win on his Ferrari debut and give the Italian outfit a one-two finish – a dream start for Alonso and his new team. Hamilton moved up to third, with Vettel slipping to fourth and off the podium in the closing stages. Nico Rosberg and Schumacher were fifth and sixth, with Jenson Button seventh in his first race for McLaren.
Webber, Vitantonio Liuzzi and Rubens Barrichello rounded out the top 10 – with it also being the first race for the current points system. It was also the opening race for F1’s new teams – Lotus Racing, Hispania and Virgin Racing. Heikki Kovalainen was the only driver from the three outfits to finish, two laps down.
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