2012 Bahrain Grand Prix

This article is about the race. For protests against the race, see 2012 Bahrain Grand Prix protests.

2012 Bahrain Grand Prix
Race 4 of 20 in the 2012 Formula One World Championship
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Race details
Date 22 April 2012
Official name 2012 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix
Location Bahrain International Circuit
Sakhir, Bahrain
Course Permanent racing facility
Course length 5.412 km (3.363 miles)
Distance 57 laps, 308.238 km (191.530 miles)
Weather

Sunny and hot[1][2] Air Temp 27 °C (81 °F)[2]


Track Temp 33 °C (91 °F) dropping to 29 °C (84 °F)[2]
Attendance 70,000 (Weekend)[3]
Pole position
Driver
Red Bull-Renault
Time 1:32.422
Fastest lap
Driver Germany Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault
Time 1:36.379 on lap 41
Podium
First
Red Bull-Renault
Second
Lotus-Renault
Third
Lotus-Renault
Lap leaders

The 2012 Bahrain Grand Prix (formally known as the 2012 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix)[4] was a Formula One motor race held on 22 April 2012 at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain. It was the first time Formula One returned to Bahrain after the 2011 race was cancelled due to ongoing anti-government protests.[5] The race, the eighth running of the Bahrain Grand Prix, was contested over 57 laps and was the fourth round of the 2012 Formula One season.

Sebastian Vettel started the race from pole position,[6] leading into the first corner and for the majority of the race en route to victory.

He was not without pressure though, as the Lotus of Kimi Räikkönen climbed the field, having started in eleventh place, and challenged for the lead before finishing second. Räikkönen's teammate Romain Grosjean took the first podium finish of his career by finishing third, after having a strong start and quickly moving into second place by overtaking Lewis Hamilton and Mark Webber. Räikkönen passed Grosjean for second place roughly halfway through the race, being on a better tyre strategy. Hamilton started on the front row, but pitstop errors and degrading tyres left him eighth; his McLaren teammate, Jenson Button, retired with two laps remaining.[7]

As a consequence of the race, Sebastian Vettel took the lead in the Drivers' Championship from Lewis Hamilton.[8] He became the fourth driver to top the standings from four races, and also the fourth race winner. Hamilton remained second, four points behind Vettel, whilst Webber jumped in front of Button to move into third with his fourth consecutive fourth place. Webber was just one point behind Hamilton, and Button was only five points behind him; Nico Rosberg was fifth. The Constructors' Championship was now led by Red Bull, who also took the lead from McLaren (who were now nine points behind them). Lotus F1 moved up from sixth to third in the standings after their first podium. Ferrari fell to fourth whilst Mercedes remained fifth.[9]

The decision to hold the race despite ongoing protests and violence[10] has been described as "controversial" by Al Jazeera English,[11] CNN,[12] AFP[13] and Sky News.[14] The Independent named it "one of the most controversial in the history of the sport".[15]

  1. ^ "Weather History for Manama, Bahrain". Weather Underground. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
  2. ^ a b c "2012 FORMULA 1 GULF AIR BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX (Race)". f1standings.net. F1Standings. 22 April 2012. Archived from the original on 28 September 2021. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  3. ^ "Trends in Bahrain". 22 April 2013.
  4. ^ "2012 FORMULA 1 GULF AIR BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX". Formula One. Archived from the original on 9 April 2012. Retrieved 11 April 2012.
  5. ^ Jonathan Noble (17 February 2011). "Bahrain GP2 Asia race cancelled". Autosport. Retrieved 25 March 2012.
  6. ^ Beer, Matt (21 April 2012). "Sebastian Vettel secures Bahrain Grand Prix pole position". Autosport. Haymarket Publications. Retrieved 21 April 2012.
  7. ^ "Bahrain Grand Prix as it happened". BBC Sport. 22 April 2012. Archived from the original on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 26 April 2012.
  8. ^ "Sebastian Vettel beats Kimi Raikkonen to Bahrain GP win". BBC Sport. 22 April 2012. Archived from the original on 27 April 2012. Retrieved 26 April 2012.
  9. ^ "Sebastian Vettel's good start ensures victory in Bahrain Grand Prix". The Guardian. 22 April 2012. Archived from the original on 25 April 2012. Retrieved 26 April 2012.
  10. ^ "Press Release: FIA Formula One World Championship – Bahrain Grang Prix". Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 13 April 2012. Archived from the original on 14 April 2012. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  11. ^ "Clashes in Bahrain ahead of F1 race". Al Jazeera. Qatar Media Group. 20 April 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2012.
  12. ^ Frederik Pleitgen (18 April 2012). "Bahrain circuit boss: Race not a big risk". CNN. Retrieved 30 June 2012.
  13. ^ News Wires (21 April 2012). "Bahrain security, protesters clash ahead of Grand Prix". France 24. Agence France-Presse. Retrieved 30 June 2012.
  14. ^ "Protests As Anger Over Bahrain F1 Race Grows". Sky News. News Corporation. 20 April 2012. Archived from the original on 23 April 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2012.
  15. ^ Taylor, Jerome; Tremayne, David (21 April 2012). "Rage against the Formula One machine". The Independent. Independent Print Limited. Archived from the original on 12 July 2020. Retrieved 21 April 2012.