2008 Bahrain Grand Prix

26°1′57″N 50°30′38″E / 26.03250°N 50.51056°E / 26.03250; 50.51056

2008 Bahrain Grand Prix
Race 3 of 18 in the 2008 Formula One World Championship ← Previous race Next race →
Race details
Date	6 April 2008
Official name	2008 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix[1]
Location	Bahrain International Circuit Sakhir, Bahrain
Course	Permanent racing facility
Course length	5.412 km (3.363[2] miles)
Distance	57[2] laps, 308.238 km (191.539[2] miles)
Weather	Dry
Attendance	100,000 (Weekend)[3]
Pole position
Driver	Robert Kubica	BMW Sauber
Time	1:33.096
Fastest lap
Driver	Heikki Kovalainen	McLaren-Mercedes
Time	1:33.193 on lap 49
Podium
First	Felipe Massa	Ferrari
Second	Kimi Räikkönen	Ferrari
Third	Robert Kubica	BMW Sauber
Lap leaders

The 2008 Bahrain Grand Prix (formally the 2008 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix) was a Formula One motor race held on 6 April 2008 at the Bahrain International Circuit, in Sakhir, Bahrain. It was the third race of the 2008 Formula One World Championship. Felipe Massa for the Ferrari team won the 57-lap race. Kimi Räikkönen was second in the other Ferrari, and BMW Sauber driver Robert Kubica was third.

The race began with Kubica in pole position alongside Massa; this was the only time in his career that the Pole would be on pole. Lewis Hamilton, the eventual Drivers' Champion, started from third, alongside Räikkönen. Kubica was passed by Massa into the first corner, and then by Räikkönen on the third lap. The Ferraris dominated at the front of the race, leading to their 1–2 finish. Hamilton had a slow start after almost stalling on the grid, and dropped back to ninth. The McLaren driver ran into the back of Fernando Alonso's Renault a lap later, breaking off the McLaren's front wing and dropping Hamilton to the back of the field.

Kubica's strong finish promoted BMW Sauber to the lead in the Constructors' Championship, after BMW driver Nick Heidfeld finished fourth. Ferrari and McLaren trailed, one and two points behind, respectively. Räikkönen took the lead in the Drivers' Championship, with 19 points, three points ahead of Heidfeld and five ahead of Hamilton, Kubica and Kovalainen, with 15 races remaining in the season.