Two-time world champ wins incident-free Bahrain Grand Prix

No clashes between riot police and anti-government demonstrators near the circuit Sunday

Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany at the Formula One Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain, Sunday, April 22, 2012. (photo credit: AP/Hassan Hammar)
Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany at the Formula One Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain, Sunday, April 22, 2012. (photo credit: AP/Hassan Hammar)

SAKHIR, Bahrain (AP) — Two-time world champion Sebastian Vettel held off a charging Kimi Raikkonen to win an incident-free Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday for his first victory of the season.

Vettel started from the pole for the first time this year and led from start to finish. Raikkonen worked his way up from 11th on the grid to finish 3.3 seconds behind for his first podium finish since returning to the sport this season.

Raikkonen’s Lotus teammate Romain Grosjean was third, followed by Vettel’s Red Bull teammate Mark Webber.

The race had been overshadowed most of the week by clashes between riot police and anti-government demonstrators in the divided Gulf nation, but was held without a hitch. With security checkpoints boosted before the race, there were no signs of protests near the circuit Sunday.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.

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