F1 Power Performers: Bahrain

In F1 Power Performers, we re-award points from every race at each track based on the current scoring system, in order to give a more fair representation of which drivers have excelled at each track during their careers. As well as the top five, we’ll also give the full list of points scorers at the end of each article. Here are the drivers who’ve excelled at the Bahrain Grand Prix!

1. Lewis Hamilton – 183 points

He may not have had the most wins in Bahrain – he goes for a record-equalling fourth Bahrain Grand Prix victory in 2020 – but Lewis Hamilton sits at the top of our Power Performers list thanks to his consistent points finishes. From his twelve visits to the Sakhir track, the 2008 race, where he finished thirteenth, is the only occasion that Hamilton has failed to score. Hamilton took his first win at the circuit following his tussle with team-mate Nico Rosberg in the memorable 2014 race. Since then, he has not failed to finish on the podium at the track, taking a further two wins in 2015 and 2019.

2. Kimi Raikkonen – 163 points

Just like Hamilton, Kimi Raikkonen has had eight podium finishes at the Bahrain Grand Prix. The difference is that the Finn has never managed to stand on the top step of the podium here. He’s finished as runner-up five times and finished third for three consecutive seasons between 2005 and 2007, but has never been victorious. Of his fourteen appearances, his retirements in 2004 and 2018 are the only occasions that Raikkonen has failed to finish in a points-paying position.

3. Sebastian Vettel – 160 points

Sebastian Vettel has had more wins than any other driver at the Bahrain Grand Prix, but sits third in the power performers list. Vettel has won the Bahrain Grand Prix four times, with consecutive wins for Red Bull in 2012 and 2013 and back-to-back wins for Ferrari in 2017 and 2018. He has been a consistent top six finisher at the circuit, with his retirement on his first appearance at the track in 2008 and his DNS – the only DNS of his career to date – in 2016 being the only times that he has failed to score.

4. Fernando Alonso – 117 points

With three victories, Fernando Alonso ranks fourth on the Power Performers list at the Bahrain Grand Prix. Alonso’s finest moment in the Sakhir desert? It’s a tough choice between the thrilling 2006 race – where Alonso beat Michael Schumacher to the opening victory of the season – and him winning for Ferrari on his maiden appearance with the Italian team in 2010. The Spaniard never failed to finish on any of his twelve appearances at the Bahrain International Circuit, though his three wins are the only occasions that he finished within the top four.

5. Felipe Massa – 98 points

Felipe Massa took back-to-back victories at the Bahrain Grand Prix in 2007 and 2008, and scored just under a century of points at the event during his career. Massa also finished on the podium in 2010, finishing as runner-up to new team-mate Alonso on his return to the grid following the injury he sustained in the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix. In his thirteen outings at the Bahrain International Circuit, Massa scored nine times – including in all of his last four visits to the circuit.

On the bubble:

Just missing out on the top five is Nico Rosberg who, had all races at the track awarded equal points, would have scored 96 points here. Rosberg impressed on his F1 debut at the circuit back in 2006, when he finished seventh and picked up the fastest lap of the race. Behind Rosberg, there is a 26 point gap back to Valtteri Bottas. The Finn took his first pole position at the Bahrain International Circuit in 2017, but is yet to win here. He has finished as runner-up in each of the last two seasons.

The Full List of points scorers:

The below list is based on all races at the track using the same scoring system as is currently used in Formula 1 – 25 points for a win, all the way down to a single point for tenth place plus the bonus point for Fastest Lap.