Lewis Hamilton held off Max Verstappen’s late charge to win a scintillating Bahrain Grand Prix in fabulous style.
A strangely tactical race appeared to fall in the direction of the Red Bull driver, only for Hamilton to produce one of the great defensive drives of his life.
In a titanic scrap, Verstappen almost passed Hamilton with three laps remaining. Hamilton refused to budge. Verstappen ran wide at Turn 4 as they contested the lead.
The Dutchman took the advantage but handed the place back for having left the track on the instruction of race control.
He came again, pressurizing Hamilton, but to no avail.
It was a brilliant drive by the Briton in a marginally slower car, a case of man rising above machine. It was his 96th win.
