Ferrari have secured the perfect start to the 2010 Formula 1 season, with Fernando Alonso leading home Felipe Massa in a one-two finish for the Italian team in Bahrain.
Lewis Hamilton grabbed the final spot on the podium, the top three finishers benefitting from an engine problem suffered by pole-sitter Sebastian Vettel’s Red Bull.
Vettel came home fourth, holding off Nico Rosberg, who was one spot ahead of his Mercedes team-mate, the returning Michael Schumacher.
Reigning champion Jenson Button was seventh in the second McLaren, Mark Webber eighth for Red Bull and Tonio Liuzzi ninth in a Force India. Rubens Barrichello, for Williams, secured the final available point.
Vettel held the lead off the start, while Alonso passed Massa at the second turn, with Hamilton losing fourth to Rosberg.
Webber, having started sixth, dropped back after massive plumes of smoke emerged from the rear of his Red Bull, promoting Schumacher one position.
During the early stages of the race, Vettel impressed hugely at the front, batting off every attempt made by Alonso to close, and the status quo of the top three was retained following the first round of stops.
However, things did not go as smoothly for Rosberg. Because of Button arriving, Mercedes had to hold Rosberg, and he lost a position to Hamilton as a result.
Just after middle distance, Alonso began to take chunks out of Vettel’s lead, closing to within just over a second. The Red Bull was suffering with engine problems - initially reported as exhaust issues, with Alonso overtaking just before the last corner of the circuit, before Massa took second from Vettel at the first turn of the following lap.
Hamilton then closed on and overtook the stricken Vettel.
Massa had a scare, going a touch sideways due to a issue with his Ferrari, with five laps remaining. Nevertheless, he and his team-mate cruised home, while Vettel managed to hold off Rosberg to take 12 points for fourth.
Bahrain Grand Prix: Provisional race results
1. Alonso, Ferrari, 1h39:20.396
2. Massa, Ferrari, +16.099
3. Hamilton, McLaren-Mercedes, +23.182
4. Vettel, Red Bull-Renault, +38.713
5. Rosberg, Mercedes, +40.263
6. Schumacher, Mercedes, +44.180
7. Button, McLaren-Mercedes, +45.260
8. Webber, Red Bull-Renault, +46.308
9. Liuzzi, Force India-Mercedes, +53.089
10. Barrichello, Williams-Cosworth, +1:02.400
11. Kubica, Renault, +1:09.093
12. Sutil, Force India-Mercedes, +1:22.958
13. Alguersuari, Toro Rosso-Ferrari, +1:32.656
14. Hulkenberg, Williams-Cosworth, +1 lap
15. Kovalainen, Lotus-Cosworth, +1 lap
16. Buemi, Toro Rosso-Ferrari, +3 laps
17. Trulli, Lotus-Cosworth, +3 laps
Not classified/retired:
De la Rosa, Sauber-Ferrari
Senna, HRT-Cosworth
Glock, Virgin-Cosworth
Petrov, Renault
Kobayashi, Sauber-Ferrari
Di Grassi, Virgin-Cosworth
Chandhok, HRT-Cosworth