International press: "A duel between great champions"

The international press is full of praise for Lewis Hamilton who kept Max Verstappen behind him lap after lap. They do see Verstappen as the next champion, if he changes a few things.

Marca

The Spanish sports newspaper talks about a great race by Hamilton, and doubts whether the overtaking by Verstappen was the right move. "Without the best car, Hamilton won the race this time because he went all out. He got exhausted and knows the season will be long. Verstappen was sensational, but maybe he chose the worst way to overtake because he had the advantage. If he tempers the overreaction, we will have the world champion."

La Gazzetta dello Sport

The pink Italian sports newspaper talks about Valtteri Bottas and the one-man team of Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton: "A duel between great champions, with Bottas relegated to 37 seconds. If this is confirmation that Mercedes is always and especially Hamilton, it is also a fact that explains how quickly Mercedes saw the problems in the test. Hamilton stopped earlier relative to Verstappen and the masterpiece was completed after that. After the second pit stop of his Dutch rival who, despite ten laps of fresher tyres, could not pass him."

Sky Sports

The British newspaper called Verstappen giving back first place dramatic: "The lead changed three times between the predicted title contenders before Verstappen, who started on pole, went after Hamilton in the closing stages - he even overtook the Mercedes with three laps to go and Red Bull looked set to make its mark on the championship. But in dramatic fashion, Verstappen had to relinquish the position to Hamilton again after going off track in turn four."

Auto, Motor und Sport

According to AMuS, Hamilton showed he is worth every penny at the Grand Prix: "The Bahrain Grand Prix was another race in which Hamilton showed he can hold his own and win with more than just the fastest car. In the first stint, the record winner was not shaken by Max Verstappen. He put himself in position for the strategists to play king. In the final, he didn't let up. Despite old tyres, despite Verstappen nipping at his heels."

L'Equipe

France's L'Equipe saw only one of the four world champions excel: "Of the four world champions in the race, only Hamilton shone. Alonso, Vettel and Räikkönen experienced a much more discreet Sunday."