Lewis Hamilton took a nail-biting victory in the first-ever Bahrain F3 Superprix, beating fellow Euroseries runners
Nico Rosberg and Jamie Green after coming from eleventh on the grid.
The result appeared to be in no doubt with just a handful of laps left, but it was new Euroseries champion Green at the front of the field at that point, and leading comfortably from a group including Rosberg, Hamilton, Fabio Carbone and Richard Antinucci. Then the safety car re-appeared to facilitate the recovery of an accident between Ho Pin Tung and Daisuke Ikeda at turn one and, at the restart, it was Hamilton who proved to be most awake, vaulting past both his rivals to assume control on the final dash to the flag.
Hamilton had started the day 22nd on the grid after an accident in qualifying yesterday [Thursday], but two spectacular race restarts helped him to victory. He was eleventh by the end of the first lap of the morning qualification race, but failed to make up any more ground thereafter, leaving him to start the finale from row six of the grid. However, he again made a superb getaway – to be fourth at the end of the first lap.
The Manor man's progress continued over the next couple of tours, moving up to second after passing Fabio Carbone and Rosberg, but still he had Green, the winner of the qualifying race, ahead of him - and looking a sure bet for the win.
Hamilton looked more likely to have to settle for a podium finish after Rosberg re-took second from him in the middle of the race, the Briton suffering from rear tyre wear as a result of his charging drive. However, that late-race safety car intervention bunched the field up and gave him one last chance to go for the win.
When the pace car pulled off and racing resumed, it was the silver-and-black Manor car that reacted fastest and, while Rosberg and Green watched and battled each other down to the second hairpin, Hamilton slipped through almost unnoticed to take the lead.
