Throwback: Hamilton vs Rosberg delivers Bahrain classic in peak Silver War battle

The third round of the 2014 season plays out at Sakhir, with Formula 1 freshly into its new hybrid era - one that, much like what we’ve seen in the opening races of 2026, quickly underlined Mercedes’ clear advantage over the rest of the field.

The seven-time world champion - who at the time had just a single title to his name - found himself going head-to-head for victories with team-mate Nico Rosberg, who had won the season opener in Australia before finishing second in Malaysia.

That set the stage for Bahrain, with the two arriving locked in an early title fight - and the desert showdown delivering one of the most memorable, overtake-filled battles of the hybrid era in a thrilling wheel-to-wheel duel.

Rosberg lined up on pole, but Hamilton made the better launch and swept into the lead at Turn 1. The Briton tried to break clear, yet Rosberg refused to let him go, sticking right with him and biding his time for a move.

With the two Mercedes disappearing up the road, Rosberg made his first real attempt on lap 19, briefly getting ahead before being repassed. Behind them, the fight for the podium was heating up, with Felipe Massa’s Williams going wheel-to-wheel with the Force Indias of Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg.

A Safety Car on lap 41 - triggered by Esteban Gutierrez’s Sauber flipping after a heavy hit from Pastor Maldonado - brought Rosberg back into play, allowing him to pit for the medium tyres. That left him with a compound advantage over his team-mate, who had opted for the harder rubber.

With five laps to go, Rosberg threw everything at it in a final bid for the lead, but Hamilton held firm under pressure, taking his second straight win and reigniting his title charge. Sergio Perez completed the podium, fending off a charging Daniel Ricciardo after a superb comeback drive.