HERE WE GO! Welcome to Eurosport's live text commentary from the Bahrain Grand Prix, the first round of the 2022 FIA Formula 1 World Championship. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc starts on pole, Red Bull's Max Verstappen starts alongside him with Carlos Sainz third. Just over a tenth of a second covered the top-three in yesterday's qualifying session. Lights are out in just 30 minutes time! Miss qualifying? Read our report here:
Formula 1 | Bahrain Grand Prix
Bahrain International Circuit | 20.03.2022
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Updated 20/03/2022 at 19:03 GMT
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- Highlights
19:00
CHARLES LECLERC WINS IN BAHRAIN AS RED BULLS RETIRE LATE ON
What a dramatic ending that was! Huge credit to both Leclerc and Ferrari, an incredible race from them today. Huge result for Mercedes as well, but what happened to Red Bull? Can they respond next week in Saudi Arabia?
57/57
LECLERC WINS!
Leclerc crosses the line to win the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, Sainz makes it a Ferrari one-two!
57/57
PEREZ SPINS!
Perez spins at turn one! Hamilton is up to third - a massive result for Mercedes with Russell in fourth.
Big problems for Red Bull to solve! WHAT. AN. END!
56/57
"I'M LOSING POWER!"
Just a lap after his team-mate retires, Perez has come over the radio saying he's losing power. The Mexican is told to get "his elbows out" as he tries to fend off Hamilton.
54/57
VERSTAPPEN IS OUT!
Verstappen is losing time to Leclerc and loses out to Sainz as he dives up the inside going into turn 11. Verstappen pulls into the pits and is out! Huge drama at the end of this Grand Prix!
53/57
DRS ACTIVATED
With two laps gone since the restart, DRS is activated for those cars one second behind the car in front.
51/57
GREEN FLAG
A poor restart from Verstappen gives Sainz the chnace to have a look up the inside going into turn one but he thinks better of it. Tsunoda is up to 10th having overtaken Schumacher.
50/57
RED BULL UP FOR THE FIGHT
We'll go green at the end of this lap and Red Bull are looking to start the season how they ended the last.
49/57
"THE SAFETY CAR NEEDS TO GO QUICKER DOWN THE STRAIGHT"
Leclerc is frustrated - he wants the safety car to go quicker down the straights.
48/57
ALL LAPPED CARS WILL UN-LAP THEMSELVES
After the controversy surrounding last year's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the FIA have now said that all lapped cars will un-lap themselves under a safety car, and that's excatly what will happen here.
Gasly's car still sits on the exit of turn three waiting for a recovery vehicle.
46/57
FIRE FOR GASLY BRINGS OUT THE SAFETY CAR
Pierre Gasly's AlphaTauri has caught fire, bringing out the safety car. Thankfully, the French driver climbs out.
Leclerc pits and comes out in the lead of the race, as expected.
45/57
SAINZ PITS
Sainz pits a lap later and comes out in third.
Meanwhile, Verstappen is going purple in sector one.
44/57
RED BULL'S PIT
Both Verstappen and Perez pit and are now on the soft compound tyres. The Dutchman is over 10 second behind Sainz and 28 behind Leclerc. Will Ferrari cover them off?
42/57
ONE SECOND QUICKER
Leclerc's out-lap after the second set of pit-stops was one second quicker than that of Verstappen's. It seems Ferrari have had the better race pace in this one.
40/57
OUT OF THE POINTS
Yuki Tsunoda pulls a similar move on Alonso and moves into 10th. Can the Spaniard fight back in the closing stages?
39/57
ALPINE'S FIGHT
The two Alpine's seen to be enjoying a tight battle with Esteban Ocon diving up the inside of Fernando Alonso going in turn one. They currently run ninth and 10th.
38/57
LEAD BATTLE
Here's a clip of Leclerc's battle with Verstappen just after the first pit-stops.
35/57
TRACK LIMITS
Hamilton is the first driver to be warned of track limits on the exit of turn four.
33/57
"FREE TO PUSH"
Red Bull have told Verstappen he is "free to push" after the Dutchman felt he could have got past Leclerc by pushing a lot more on his out-lap. This race is far from over!
32/57
LECLERC STAYS AHEAD
Leclerc pits and comes out ahead of Verstappen, who pitted a lap before.