Through the Chicane: Can Mercedes save Formula 1?

There were moments during the Bahrain Grand Prix when it looked as though Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg were going to run each other off the track via mutually assured destruction. This wasn't about being teammates or winning one for the team. Rosberg wanted to beat Hamilton and vice versa.  

For the third race in a row, it was Mercedes in front after the pair dominated qualifying on Saturday. 

Hamilton and Rosberg are the class of the circuit thanks to their cars, which are simply running better than everyone else's, and their skills. One is not possible without the other. Just ask Ferrari's Fernando Alonso and Kimi Räikkönen, who might be better off driving Kia Rio's at this point. 

Sunday's race was one of the best in years because of the Mercedes duo's willingness to go for it at all costs, even if that meant wrecking. 

Rosberg started in the pole position, but Hamilton took the lead at the first corner. Shots were immediately fired at the Sakhir Grand Prix Circuit. 

It carried on from there, with the German staying within spitting distance of the Brit. 

On lap 18 it got real, with Rosberg ducking in on the inside, only to run wide, allowing Hamilton to dive in and regain the lead. "Warn him that was not on," Rosberg said to his team over the radio, referring to his teammate Hamilton. 'Not on.' F1 fans everywhere started smiling. 

The battle continued until lap 40, when a dangerous crash led to seven laps of caution. Rosberg and Hamilton adopted different tyre strategies during the race, and the former's decision to use his medium set early came back to haunt him in the end. 

Rosberg's softer shoes began to wear, losing their edge, and Hamilton's lead increased. It was over. Hamilton had done it again, for the second straight week. 

It was an exhilarating battle, with Mercedes co-team boss Paddy Lowe pleading with his drivers to get both cars home towards the end. At times it felt like that was impossible.

"I strongly dislike finishing second to Lewis but on the other hand it was the most exciting race I have ever had in my whole career," said Rosberg, via the BBC. "Today was a day for the sport. I hope you all had a lot of fun."

Even better was the news from Mercedes following the race: Hamilton and Rosberg will not be given team orders, the kind that destroyed Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber's relationship and riveting competition in the same foul swoop. 

"It's great watching two drivers of that level racing fair and square," said Lowe's partner, Toto Wolff. 

"Not risking the other car and still delivering a mega-show; it doesn't get any better advertising for F1, in a moment when lots of people were talking F1 down."

Wolff nailed it. Sunday's battle hearkened back to the days of Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost, of Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill. We want more. 

Ferrari in trouble

It was almost sad. Ferrari, one of the crown jewels of racing, languishing far behind the leaders. 

Fernando Alonso and Kimi Räikkönen finished in ninth and 10th respectively, adding to woes that include lack of traction, heavy tyre usage, and poor straight-line speed, according to the BBC's Andrew Benson. 

"I don't like seeing Ferrari in this condition," said president Luca Di Montezemolo. "The engine people at the factory need to work to make a big leap forward in quality."

"I didn't expect much from this race, but I did expect a bit more than this. To see a Ferrari this slow on the straights is very painful."

Painful indeed.

Looking ahead

We encounter a two-week break ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit. 

Alonso and Räikkönen finished one-two last year, though the Finn was racing for Lotus at the time. Hamilton rounded out the podium. 

Red Bull appear to be working out the kinks as we get deeper into the season. Will this be the race where Vettel makes a statement?