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06 December 2020Rocambolesco bis Bahrain Grand Prix, where Sergio Perez wins for the first time in his career on Racing Point, ahead of Esteban Ocon on Renault and the other Racing Point of Lance Stroll.

Harakiri Mercedes, who was dominating the race: disastrous pit stop for George Russell and Valtteri Bottas: the young Briton, replacement for coronavirus positive Lewis Hamilton, mounted the tires of the Finn and then changed again after one lap

to the Finn put his used tires… An almost certain double win.

Bad Ferrari.

Immediately outside Charles Leclerc, who at the start caused a carom with Max Verstappen (Red Bull) and Perez, the only one able to continue the race, and then win it.

Sebastian Vettel only 12th.

The only Italian on the track, Antonio Giovinazzi with Alfa Romeo, finished in 13th position.



Sakhir circuit, shortened to 3,543 meters compared to the previous week's race, to be covered 87 times for a total of 307.995 km.

In the sixteenth and penultimate round of the World Championship, which will close next weekend in Abu Dhabi, the future Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz (McLaren), Daniel Ricciardo with the other Renault, Alexander Albon (Red Bull), Daniil Kvyat ( Alpha Tauri), Bottas and Russel who then finished seventh and eighth, and Lando Norris (McLaren)



Mercedes in the front row.

Contact at the start between Verstappen, Leclerc and Perez: the Dutch Red Bull and the Monegasque Ferrari off the road, while Perez restarts after changing the wing.

Safety car on the track, with Russell in front of Bottas.

The actual race begins on lap 6 and Sainz immediately surprises Bottas, who, however, immediately takes second place.

In the queue, Norris - who started in last position for the replacement of engine components - starts his show moving up positions.

On lap 29 pit stop for Sainz.

On lap 33 Vettel does it.

The Mercedes pulls long, with Russell accumulating a 3 ”advantage over Bottas.

On lap 43 I change tires for Stroll.

At 46th Russell's pit stop who falls behind his teammate.

However, the British accused a drop in power.

The Finn changes tires in the 50th lap, and when he gets back on track he is second, 8 ”behind Russell.

Sainz is third while Ricciardo and Kvyat are fighting for the fourth position.



Yellow flag on lap 55 due to Latifi leaving the track with Williams.

Norris and Vettel take advantage of it for the pit stop.

Sainz and Ricciardo instead do it just when the virtual safety car is removed and lose precious seconds.

Perez overtakes Ocon and climbs to third place.

While Bottas recovers the gap from Russell, a new yellow flag at the 62nd back due to debris on the track left by Aitken's Williams.

The two Mercedes return to the pits, where Bottas loses seconds due to a problem with a front wheel, finishing fifth.

Twist on lap 65: Russell called back to the pits because the tires mounted are mismatched ... Perez finds himself in the lead, ahead of Ocon and Stroll, while Bottas, fourth, is ahead of his teammate.

But on lap 71, Hamilton's replacement overtook the Finn and then Stroll too, chasing Ocon, who was overtaken two laps later.

Bottas accuses problems because by mistake he was fitted with used tires… Another twist: on lap 79 Russell punctures and has to stop, returning to the track fifteenth, to then climb back up.

Perez sets off in disbelief for his first triumph.



In fact, the Mexican cannot understand: "I'm speechless, I hope I'm not dreaming because I have dreamed of living this moment for many years. I don't know what to say, after the first lap the race was lost but I didn't want to give up. to do the best I could. This year has not been lucky for us, but this time the wheel has turned. We had a fantastic race. "



Fa mea culpa Leclerc: "When I make a mistake I say it, I like to be honest. I was close to Max Verstappen, I tried to overtake him; I had seen Perez, but I expected him to stay on the outside of the curve and he didn't. his fault, of course, but I was surprised by this movement. I tried to brake, I blocked and we touched. "



Serafico Verstappen: "I'm not angry about the accident but it's frustrating to retire so early in a race where we could have done well. In the first corners I tried to avoid accidents and at Turn 4 Leclerc was too optimistic. I respect him a lot, he is a great rider, but in this situation he exaggerated a bit ".