Massa wins but Hamilton shines

Formula One: Ferrari's Felipe Massa won the Bahrain Grand Prix but it was McLaren rookie Lewis Hamilton who roared into the …

Formula One:Ferrari's Felipe Massa won the Bahrain Grand Prix but it was McLaren rookie Lewis Hamilton who roared into the Formula One record books with another stunning second place.

Massa's third career victory, from pole position, revived the Brazilian's title challenge after a troubled start to the season.

However, the 22-year-old Briton Hamilton, starting on the front row for the first time, was again the man to watch in a race that left him in a three-way tie on points at the top of the standings.

The runner-up, for the second race in a row, became the first driver in Formula One history to finish all of his first three races on the podium.

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Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen, winner of the season-opening Australian race last month, completed the top three for Ferrari with Germany's Nick Heidfeld fourth for BMW Sauber.

McLaren's double world champion Fernando Alonso, who led a McLaren one-two in Malaysia last weekend, was fifth after a difficult afternoon in the desert heat.

Spaniard Alonso, Finland's Raikkonen and Hamilton now share the overall lead after three races with 22 points apiece. Massa has 17.

"I think this weekend we have definitely closed the gap on Ferrari and I couldn't ask for more. It is one more step for me and in Barcelona we will push again," Hamilton said afterwards.

"Unfortunately I didn't get as good as start as Felipe, he did very well on the first corner and I just had to make sure I stayed as close to him as possible.

"I struggled a little bit in the second stint. The car's balance was not very good and that was where I was losing it.

"We got back onto the hard tyre and we were able to keep up the pace."

Meanwhile, Massa was delighted with his victory, saying: "The results in the first two races were not what I expected.

"Something was missing. But this time we put everything together.

"I'm really pleased."