2021 Bahrain Grand Prix: F1 Race, Qualifying & Winners

Formula 1 roared back into life under the Sakhir floodlights as the 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix opened a season bursting with fresh faces, new partnerships and the promise of a proper fight at the front. The Bahrain International Circuit delivered immediately, serving up a gripping contest between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen that remained in the balance until the final lap.

Race Guide

Season: 2021 F1 World Championship
Race date: 28 March 2021
Race start time: 18:00 local time (UTC+03:00)
Circuit: Bahrain International Circuit
Laps: 56 (57 scheduled; reduced after an additional formation lap)
Circuit length: 5.412 km
2020 winner: Lewis Hamilton

Pole position
Driver	Max Verstappen	Red Bull Racing
Time	1:28.997
Fastest lap
Driver	Valtteri Bottas	Mercedes
Time	1:32.090 on lap 56
Podium
First	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes
Second	Max Verstappen	Red Bull Racing
Third	Valtteri Bottas	Mercedes

Weekend Schedule

Date	Session	Local Time
26 March 2021	Practice 1	14:30 – 15:30
26 March 2021	Practice 2	18:00 – 19:00
27 March 2021	Practice 3	15:00 – 16:00
27 March 2021	Qualifying	18:00 – 19:00
28 March 2021	Race	18:00

All times are local (UTC+03:00). The race time is the scheduled start.

Championship background

The opening round arrived with a familiar target at the front: Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton. But an encouraging pre-season test had given Red Bull Racing plenty of reason to believe it could challenge the reigning champions. With the points reset to zero, Bahrain offered the first meaningful verdict on the competitive order.

There was just as much intrigue behind them. Daniel Ricciardo joined Lando Norris at McLaren, Sebastian Vettel began a new chapter with Aston Martin, and Fernando Alonso returned to the grid with Alpine. Carlos Sainz made his Ferrari debut alongside Charles Leclerc, adding another compelling partnership to a midfield packed with ambition.

Race entries

All 20 regular drivers took part, with no race substitutes. Three rookies made their Grand Prix debuts: Yuki Tsunoda partnered Pierre Gasly at AlphaTauri, while Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin formed an all-new pairing at Haas.

Sergio Perez also began his first race weekend for Red Bull Racing, joining Max Verstappen in a line-up that would face the established Mercedes partnership of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas.

Free Practice

Max Verstappen wasted little time setting the pace, opening FP1 with a 1:31.394 to head Valtteri Bottas by 0.298s. Lando Norris put McLaren third, ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. With Friday practice now reduced to two one-hour sessions, the opening running offered an early glimpse of just how competitive the new season might be.

Verstappen stayed on top as the lights came on for FP2, lowering the benchmark to 1:30.847. Norris closed to within 0.095s in second, with Hamilton third and Carlos Sainz fourth. The narrow gaps added to the anticipation, although practice pace alone could not settle the question of who would come out on top when qualifying began.

Saturday brought a more emphatic statement from the Red Bull Racing driver. Verstappen completed a clean sweep of practice with a 1:30.577 in FP3, finishing 0.739s clear of Hamilton. Pierre Gasly was third for AlphaTauri, ahead of Bottas and Perez, as Verstappen carried the fastest time from every session into the first qualifying showdown of 2021.

Free Practice 1 Classification

2021 Bahrain Grand Prix FP1, 26 March 2021

Pos.	No.	Driver	Team	Time / Gap	Laps
1	33	Max Verstappen	Red Bull Racing	1:31.394	12
2	77	Valtteri Bottas	Mercedes	+0.298s	17
3	4	Lando Norris	McLaren	+0.503s	20
4	44	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	+0.527s	15
5	16	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	+0.599s	14
6	11	Sergio Perez	Red Bull Racing	+0.677s	15
7	10	Pierre Gasly	AlphaTauri	+0.801s	23
8	55	Carlos Sainz	Ferrari	+0.972s	15
9	3	Daniel Ricciardo	McLaren	+1.040s	20
10	99	Antonio Giovinazzi	Alfa Romeo Racing	+1.392s	16
11	7	Kimi Räikkönen	Alfa Romeo Racing	+1.740s	18
12	5	Sebastian Vettel	Aston Martin	+1.763s	21
13	18	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin	+1.839s	20
14	22	Yuki Tsunoda	AlphaTauri	+1.935s	21
15	31	Esteban Ocon	Alpine	+2.134s	20
16	14	Fernando Alonso	Alpine	+2.478s	18
17	63	George Russell	Williams	+2.733s	22
18	6	Nicholas Latifi	Williams	+2.946s	22
19	47	Mick Schumacher	Haas	+3.107s	16
20	9	Nikita Mazepin	Haas	+3.581s	16

Free Practice 2 Classification

2021 Bahrain Grand Prix FP2, 26 March 2021

Pos.	No.	Driver	Team	Time / Gap	Laps
1	33	Max Verstappen	Red Bull Racing	1:30.847	23
2	4	Lando Norris	McLaren	+0.095s	25
3	44	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	+0.235s	24
4	55	Carlos Sainz	Ferrari	+0.280s	26
5	77	Valtteri Bottas	Mercedes	+0.371s	23
6	3	Daniel Ricciardo	McLaren	+0.383s	22
7	22	Yuki Tsunoda	AlphaTauri	+0.447s	23
8	18	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin	+0.546s	24
9	10	Pierre Gasly	AlphaTauri	+0.636s	27
10	11	Sergio Perez	Red Bull Racing	+0.656s	23
11	31	Esteban Ocon	Alpine	+0.754s	24
12	16	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	+0.765s	26
13	99	Antonio Giovinazzi	Alfa Romeo Racing	+0.893s	27
14	5	Sebastian Vettel	Aston Martin	+0.922s	26
15	14	Fernando Alonso	Alpine	+0.923s	24
16	7	Kimi Räikkönen	Alfa Romeo Racing	+1.015s	15
17	63	George Russell	Williams	+1.484s	28
18	47	Mick Schumacher	Haas	+2.450s	24
19	6	Nicholas Latifi	Williams	+2.553s	28
20	9	Nikita Mazepin	Haas	+2.602s	19

Free Practice 3 Classification

2021 Bahrain Grand Prix FP3, 27 March 2021

Pos.	No.	Driver	Team	Time / Gap	Laps
1	33	Max Verstappen	Red Bull Racing	1:30.577	11
2	44	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	+0.739s	14
3	10	Pierre Gasly	AlphaTauri	+1.006s	13
4	77	Valtteri Bottas	Mercedes	+1.278s	16
5	11	Sergio Perez	Red Bull Racing	+1.331s	11
6	55	Carlos Sainz	Ferrari	+1.531s	16
7	7	Kimi Räikkönen	Alfa Romeo Racing	+1.647s	15
8	31	Esteban Ocon	Alpine	+1.846s	11
9	18	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin	+1.854s	13
10	3	Daniel Ricciardo	McLaren	+1.900s	12
11	16	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	+1.905s	17
12	99	Antonio Giovinazzi	Alfa Romeo Racing	+1.923s	11
13	22	Yuki Tsunoda	AlphaTauri	+2.132s	15
14	5	Sebastian Vettel	Aston Martin	+2.178s	15
15	14	Fernando Alonso	Alpine	+2.243s	15
16	4	Lando Norris	McLaren	+2.283s	10
17	63	George Russell	Williams	+2.746s	14
18	47	Mick Schumacher	Haas	+2.845s	14
19	9	Nikita Mazepin	Haas	+3.045s	14
20	6	Nicholas Latifi	Williams	+3.382s	16

Qualifying

Max Verstappen delivered on that promise with a superb 1:28.997 to claim pole position, beating Lewis Hamilton by 0.388s. Valtteri Bottas completed the top three, while Charles Leclerc gave Ferrari an encouraging start to the season by securing fourth ahead of Pierre Gasly.

Daniel Ricciardo edged McLaren team-mate Lando Norris for sixth, with Carlos Sainz eighth. Fernando Alonso marked his return with ninth for Alpine, and Lance Stroll completed the top ten. Sergio Perez missed Q3 in 11th, leaving Red Bull Racing with only one car in the final shootout.

Further back, Sebastian Vettel‘s first qualifying session for Aston Martin ended in Q1. A subsequent five-place penalty for failing to respect double yellow flags left the four-time champion facing a start from the back of the grid.

Qualifying Classification

2021 Bahrain Grand Prix Qualifying, 27 March 2021

Pos.	No.	Driver	Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Laps
1	33	Max Verstappen	Red Bull Racing	1:30.499	1:30.318	1:28.997	15
2	44	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	1:30.617	1:30.085	1:29.385	18
3	77	Valtteri Bottas	Mercedes	1:31.200	1:30.186	1:29.586	17
4	16	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	1:30.691	1:30.010	1:29.678	15
5	10	Pierre Gasly	AlphaTauri	1:30.848	1:30.513	1:29.809	15
6	3	Daniel Ricciardo	McLaren	1:30.795	1:30.222	1:29.927	18
7	4	Lando Norris	McLaren	1:30.902	1:30.099	1:29.974	18
8	55	Carlos Sainz	Ferrari	1:31.653	1:30.009	1:30.215	17
9	14	Fernando Alonso	Alpine	1:30.863	1:30.595	1:30.249	15
10	18	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin	1:31.261	1:30.624	1:30.601	15
11	11	Sergio Perez	Red Bull Racing	1:31.165	1:30.659	—	11
12	99	Antonio Giovinazzi	Alfa Romeo Racing	1:30.998	1:30.708	—	12
13	22	Yuki Tsunoda	AlphaTauri	1:30.607	1:31.203	—	9
14	7	Kimi Räikkönen	Alfa Romeo Racing	1:31.547	1:31.238	—	12
15	63	George Russell	Williams	1:31.316	1:33.430	—	11
16	31	Esteban Ocon	Alpine	1:31.724	—	—	6
17	6	Nicholas Latifi	Williams	1:31.936	—	—	8
18	5	Sebastian Vettel	Aston Martin	1:32.056	—	—	6
19	47	Mick Schumacher	Haas	1:32.449	—	—	6
20	9	Nikita Mazepin	Haas	1:33.273	—	—	7

These are qualifying positions, before grid penalties. Sebastian Vettel received a five-place grid penalty for failing to respect double yellow flags in Q1 and started 20th. Sergio Perez qualified 11th but subsequently started the race from the pit lane. A dash indicates that the driver did not reach that qualifying segment.

What happened in the 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix?

Lewis Hamilton struck first in the 2021 title fight, withstanding intense late pressure from Max Verstappen to win the Bahrain Grand Prix by just 0.745s. Red Bull Racing had set the pace through practice and qualifying, but Mercedes turned strategy and a determined defensive drive into the opening victory of the season.

The drama began before the lights went out. Sergio Perez‘s Red Bull Racing stopped on the formation lap, triggering another tour of the circuit and reducing the race to 56 laps. Perez managed to restart the car and take the start from the pit lane, setting himself a sizeable recovery task before his first racing lap for the team.

Verstappen kept the lead at the start, while Charles Leclerc moved ahead of Valtteri Bottas. Behind them, Nikita Mazepin‘s debut ended almost immediately when his Haas spun into the barriers, bringing out the safety car. Once racing resumed, Bottas reclaimed third and Lando Norris worked his way into fourth.

Mercedes made the first decisive strategic move by bringing Hamilton in before Verstappen. The early stop allowed the reigning champion to gain enough time on fresh tyres to move ahead when the Red Bull Racing eventually pitted. The contest was no longer simply about outright speed: track position and tyre life would determine the winner.

The same tension shaped the final stint. Hamilton stopped earlier again, while Verstappen stayed out longer and returned to the circuit with fresher tyres. With the gap shrinking and the laps running out, Bahrain built towards exactly the finish the new season had promised.

Verstappen eventually swept around the outside of Hamilton at Turn 4, only to complete the move beyond the track limits. He handed the lead back, then tried to launch another attack. Hamilton held firm through the closing laps, keeping the Red Bull Racing behind to secure his 96th Grand Prix victory.

Bottas finished third after a slow pit stop disrupted his afternoon, and a late tyre change helped him collect the fastest-lap bonus point. Norris delivered fourth for McLaren, while Perez fought back to fifth from his pit-lane start. It was a valuable recovery that ensured both Red Bull Racing drivers scored strongly.

Leclerc finished sixth, followed by Daniel Ricciardo and Carlos Sainz. Ricciardo’s first McLaren race was hampered by floor damage after early contact with Pierre Gasly, but he still contributed to a useful double-points finish. Yuki Tsunoda made an immediate impression by taking ninth on debut, with Lance Stroll claiming the final point for Aston Martin.

Kimi Räikkönen and Antonio Giovinazzi finished just outside the points for Alfa Romeo Racing. Esteban Ocon, George Russell, Sebastian Vettel and Mick Schumacher followed, with Vettel carrying a ten-second penalty for colliding with Ocon. Gasly and Nicholas Latifi retired late but completed enough laps to be classified, while Fernando Alonso‘s return ended with a brake problem.

Hamilton left Bahrain seven points ahead of Verstappen, and Mercedes held a 13-point advantage over Red Bull Racing. The first trophy belonged to the reigning champions, but the narrow winning margin set up a tantalising second round at Imola.

2021 Bahrain Grand Prix race results

The 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix was held on 28 March 2021, with a scheduled start of 18:00 local time.

Pos.	No.	Driver	Team	Laps	Time / Retired	Pts.
1	44	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	56	1:32:03.897	25
2	33	Max Verstappen	Red Bull Racing	56	+0.745s	18
3	77	Valtteri Bottas	Mercedes	56	+37.383s	16
4	4	Lando Norris	McLaren	56	+46.466s	12
5	11	Sergio Perez	Red Bull Racing	56	+52.047s	10
6	16	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	56	+59.090s	8
7	3	Daniel Ricciardo	McLaren	56	+66.004s	6
8	55	Carlos Sainz	Ferrari	56	+67.100s	4
9	22	Yuki Tsunoda	AlphaTauri	56	+85.692s	2
10	18	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin	56	+86.713s	1
11	7	Kimi Räikkönen	Alfa Romeo Racing	56	+88.864s	0
12	99	Antonio Giovinazzi	Alfa Romeo Racing	55	+1 lap	0
13	31	Esteban Ocon	Alpine	55	+1 lap	0
14	63	George Russell	Williams	55	+1 lap	0
15	5	Sebastian Vettel	Aston Martin	55	+1 lap	0
16	47	Mick Schumacher	Haas	55	+1 lap	0
17	10	Pierre Gasly	AlphaTauri	52	Suspension	0
18	6	Nicholas Latifi	Williams	51	Fuel system	0
Ret	14	Fernando Alonso	Alpine	32	Brakes	0
Ret	9	Nikita Mazepin	Haas	0	Accident	0

Valtteri Bottas‘s 16 points include the bonus point for fastest lap. Sergio Perez started from the pit lane after an electrical problem on the formation lap; his grid slot remained empty.

Sebastian Vettel‘s result includes a ten-second penalty for causing a collision with Esteban Ocon. Pierre Gasly and Nicholas Latifi retired but were classified because they completed more than 90% of the winner’s race distance.

2021 Bahrain Grand Prix Fastest Laps

Pos.	No.	Driver	Team	Lap	Time of Day	Time	Avg. Speed
1	77	Valtteri Bottas	Mercedes	56	19:39:51	1:32.090	211.566
2	33	Max Verstappen	Red Bull Racing	41	19:15:41	1:33.228	208.984
3	11	Sergio Perez	Red Bull Racing	44	19:21:10	1:33.970	207.334
4	44	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	44	19:20:17	1:34.015	207.235
5	10	Pierre Gasly	AlphaTauri	48	19:28:30	1:34.090	207.069
6	4	Lando Norris	McLaren	38	19:11:28	1:34.396	206.398
7	55	Carlos Sainz	Ferrari	48	19:27:39	1:34.509	206.151
8	22	Yuki Tsunoda	AlphaTauri	38	19:11:55	1:34.761	205.603
9	18	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin	31	19:00:34	1:34.865	205.378
10	3	Daniel Ricciardo	McLaren	36	19:08:28	1:34.932	205.233
11	16	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	39	19:13:07	1:34.988	205.112
12	63	George Russell	Williams	40	19:15:30	1:35.036	205.008
13	99	Antonio Giovinazzi	Alfa Romeo Racing	32	19:02:27	1:35.122	204.823
14	7	Kimi Räikkönen	Alfa Romeo Racing	45	19:23:10	1:35.192	204.672
15	31	Esteban Ocon	Alpine	33	19:04:02	1:35.250	204.548
16	5	Sebastian Vettel	Aston Martin	26	18:52:42	1:35.566	203.871
17	14	Fernando Alonso	Alpine	31	19:00:49	1:36.063	202.816
18	47	Mick Schumacher	Haas	38	19:12:56	1:36.134	202.667
19	6	Nicholas Latifi	Williams	16	18:36:21	1:36.602	201.685

Nikita Mazepin did not complete a racing lap and therefore has no recorded fastest lap. Time of Day is local time; average speeds are in km/h.

2021 Post-Race F1 Championship Standings

Championship standings for drivers and teams after the 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix.

2021 Post-Race F1 Drivers’ Championship Standings

POS	Driver	Nationality	Car	PTS
1	Lewis Hamilton	GBR	Mercedes	25
2	Max Verstappen	NED	Red Bull Racing	18
3	Valtteri Bottas	FIN	Mercedes	16
4	Lando Norris	GBR	McLaren	12
5	Sergio Perez	MEX	Red Bull Racing	10
6	Charles Leclerc	MON	Ferrari	8
7	Daniel Ricciardo	AUS	McLaren	6
8	Carlos Sainz	ESP	Ferrari	4
9	Yuki Tsunoda	JPN	AlphaTauri	2
10	Lance Stroll	CAN	Aston Martin	1
11	Kimi Räikkönen	FIN	Alfa Romeo Racing	0
12	Antonio Giovinazzi	ITA	Alfa Romeo Racing	0
13	Esteban Ocon	FRA	Alpine	0
14	George Russell	GBR	Williams	0
15	Sebastian Vettel	GER	Aston Martin	0
16	Mick Schumacher	GER	Haas	0
17	Pierre Gasly	FRA	AlphaTauri	0
18	Nicholas Latifi	CAN	Williams	0
19	Fernando Alonso	ESP	Alpine	0
20	Nikita Mazepin	RAF	Haas	0

RAF denotes the neutral Russian Automobile Federation designation used by Nikita Mazepin in 2021.

2021 Post-Race F1 Constructors’ Championship Standings

POS	Car	PTS
1	Mercedes	41
2	Red Bull Racing	28
3	McLaren	18
4	Ferrari	12
5	AlphaTauri	2
6	Aston Martin	1
7	Alfa Romeo Racing	0
8	Alpine	0
9	Williams	0
10	Haas	0