Summary

  • Verstappen leads following several overtakes for cars off start as result of divergent tyre choices

  • Bottas spins out; causes safety car

  • Race start delayed by more than hour and a half after rain delays and confusion over grid order

  • Cars out of position during attempts to form behind safety car because of reported software issues

  • Original grid line-up used for restart

  • Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia held at Sepang circuit near Kuala Lumpur

  • Race rescheduled from April because of Middle East unrest

  • Use the 'watch & listen' tab for BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra commentary

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Live Reporting

Lorraine McKenna

  1. Hulkenberg with double overtake

    Lap 39/55

    Nico Hulkenberg would like to collect some points for Audi today, so he needs to be making some overtakes. No problem for the German, as he passes Esteban Ocon and Lance Stroll in quick succession. Hulkenberg is 12th, Ocon and Stroll drop to 13th and 14th.

  2. Lap 38/55

    Sam Bird
    Former Formula E driver on 5 Sports Extra

    At least McLaren have split strategy this time around. Oscar Piastri on that new set of hard compound, Lando Norris opting for a new set of softs. It will be interesting to see what their pace is like for the remainder of the race.

  3. Lap 37/55

    Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain driving the (44) Scuderia Ferrari SF-26 on track during the F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain in Malaysia at SepangGetty Images

    The opportunity hasn't presented itself yet for Lewis Hamilton to make a move on Isack Hadjar, but the Red Bull driver will know the Ferrari man is there. Mercedes are also trying to managed the two cars behind, with George Russell holding onto that final podium place in third.

  4. Lap 36/55

    Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (3) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB22 Red Bull Ford Powertrains on track during the F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain in MalaysiaGetty Images

    This will be Max Verstappen's first victory since the finale in Abu Dhabi if he brings this home, and he is currently 10 seconds clear of championship leader Kimi Antonelli.

    Despite saying his medium tyre feels rubbish, Lewis Hamilton is banking the fastest laps and is closing on Isack Hadjar for fourth.

  5. Top five

    Lao 35/55

    1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

    2. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)

    3. George Russell (Mercedes)

    4. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull)

    5. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)

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    Ferrari muck it up again. No need to use different compounds in a wet race.

    Tom, France

  7. Lap 34/55

    The team radio is busy as some drivers question the strategy. George Russell wants to know if his mediums are to the end - yes they are. Is that maybe too early, is his next question.

    Over at Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton says these medium tyres, that have done two laps already during the weekend, are terrible.

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    Incredible work from Lewis to make his soft tires - worn since the start of the race - last longer than the new ones Charles put on under the safety car. All while going considerably faster and making more overtakes.

    Alex, Exeter

  9. Verstappen pits

    Lap 33/55

    Mercedes bring in George Russell and Kimi Antonelli for a changeover. Red Bull do the same, and race leader Max Verstappen is placed on another set of the soft compound.

    Antonelli rejoins the track back in second place, Russell follows behind in third.

  10. Sam Bird
    Former Formula E driver on 5 Sports Extra

    pitstop during the F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain in Malaysia at Sepang CircuitGetty Images

    I am surprised that Hamilton has moved on to the medium, given just how brilliant him and that car were working together on a set of soft tyres. Why not stay on that compound if you are making in-roads to everybody. Why not stay on the softs?

  11. Lap 32/55

    Isack Hadjar was three seconds ahead of Lewis Hamilton, but now both drivers are called in to pit. Red Bull put Hadjar, who was third in Azerbaijan, on the softs, while Ferrari fit Hamilton with the medium compound.

    Hadjar is sixth, Hamilton is seventh.

  12. Lap 31/55

    Sam Bird
    Former Formula E driver on 5 Sports Extra

    Bit scrappy from Oscar Piastri, tried to get the move done into Turn 15, didn't quite get it done and then fight like their lives depended on it, it is now Oscar Piastri in sixth. Liam Lawson seventh and a charging Lando Norris coming at both of them, down in eighth.

  13. Lap 30/55

    Teams are starting to call drivers in for pit stops, and Charles Leclerc heads in for some new soft tyres. The Monegasque driver is out quickly and he stays in the points in 10th place.

  14. Team radio - Red Bull to Hadjar

    Engineer: "Hamilton behind. He is faster in all corners with his tyres"

    Hadjar: "OK! Thank you! I am done. Done! How is that possible?"

  15. Sam Bird
    Former Formula E driver on 5 Sports Extra

    It has been 15 races since Verstappen last stood on the top step of a Formula 1 podium.

  16. Lap 29/55

    Isack Hadjar is being fed information by his Red Bull race engineer but the Frenchman is getting more annoyed with every word that's being said. He finally tells the team to just leave him be, with quite a comical noise to end the messge.

  17. Lap 28/55

    Lewis Hamilton still has the pace in those starting soft tyres, and the seven-time world champion, who qualified on the front row, wants to have a crack at Isack Hadjar if he can for that fourth spot.

    Max Verstappen has pulled more time on Kimi Antonelli, with a nine-second buffer to the Mercedes now.

  18. Team radio - Antonelli to Mercedes

    Antonelli: "Check front wing."

    Engineer: "Copy."

  19. Lap 27/55

    The gap between Max Verstappen and Kimi Antonelli is 8.2 seconds, with polesitter Max Verstappen comfortably keeping tyres in check from the race lead, but Antonelli tells his pit wall to just have a little look at the front wing.

  20. Top five

    Lap 26/55

    1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

    2.Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)

    3. George Russell (Mercedes)

    4. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull)

    5. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)