SAKHIR, (Bahrain): Lewis Hamilton produced another stunning demonstration of his supreme racing talent on Sunday to resist a charging Max Verstappen and win a thrilling season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix. The defending seven-time champion defended with supreme skill over the closing laps in his Mercedes to hold off the Red Bull driver and claim a record-stretching 96th Formula One victory.

Hamilton came home seven-tenths of a second ahead of the Dutchman, who was forced to hand back the race lead in the closing laps after passing the champion with a move that had taken him off the track and beyond the limits. As expected, Hamilton and his heir apparent delivered an exhilarating exhibition of racing as they stormed to the flag - the pair leaving third placed Valtteri Bottas, in the second Mercedes, to finish adrift by 37 seconds.