[[Berkas:Sebastian Vettel Bahrain.jpg|125px|jmpl|Juara dunia bertahan Sebastian Vettel harus menunggu sampai GP Bahrain untuk bisa menang.]]
Dalam menghadapi spekulasi media yang sedang berlangsung dan tekanan publik untuk membatalkan balapan karena [[pemberontakandemonstrasi Bahrain (2011–sekarang)2011|ketidakstabilan politik yang sedang berlangsung]] di negara Bahrain,<ref>{{cite news|title=Bahrain Activist's Hunger Strike Belies Image of Calm Ahead of Formula One Race|url=http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/06/bahrain-activists-hunger-strike-belies-image-of-calm-ahead-of-formula-one-race/|first=Robert|last=Mackey|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=7 April 2012|access-date=13 April 2012}}</ref><ref name="team principal">{{cite news|title=F1 teams want FIA to postpone Bahrain Grand Prix|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2012/apr/09/formula-one-bahrain-grand-prix|first=Paul|last=Weaver|work=[[The Guardian]]|publisher=[[Guardian Media Group|Guardian News and Media]]|date=9 April 2012|access-date=13 April 2012|location=London}}</ref> FIA merilis pernyataan di Grand Prix China yang mengonfirmasi bahwa Grand Prix Bahrain akan berjalan sesuai rencana.<ref>{{cite web|title=Press Release: FIA Formula One World Championship – Bahrain Grand Prix |url=http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre/pressreleases/f1releases/2012/Pages/f1-bahrain.aspx |publisher=[[Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile]] |date=13 April 2012 |access-date=13 April 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120414173322/http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre/pressreleases/f1releases/2012/Pages/f1-bahrain.aspx |archive-date=14 April 2012 }}</ref> Seminggu sebelum Grand Prix, terjadi gelombang baru [[:en:2012 Bahrain Grand Prix protests|protes]] menentang upaya pemerintah menggunakan balapan untuk "memberi tahu dunia luar bahwa semuanya kembali normal",<ref>{{cite news|title=Heavy security as Formula One arrives in Bahrain|url=http://en.espnf1.com/bahrain/motorsport/story/76141.html|work=ESPN F1|publisher=[[ESPN]]|date=18 April 2012|access-date=18 April 2012}}</ref><ref name="indifference">{{cite news|title=Damon Hill says Formula 1 cannot afford to be 'indifferent' about Bahrain situation|url=http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/98650|first=Jonathan|last=Noble|work=Autosport|publisher=[[Haymarket Group|Haymarket Publications]]|date=7 April 2012|access-date=18 April 2012}}</ref> sementara organisasi hak asasi manusia, termasuk [[Amnesti Internasional]], mengkritik keputusan untuk tetap mengadakan balapan di tengah tindakan kekerasan.<ref>{{cite news|title=Amnesty questions Bahrain reforms as F1 concerns deepen |url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jV1--EXM6pWmRhARdI-V0Y_MV3tQ?docId=CNG.948a2cf5c9e4b1bd3f984c4d2465ab3a.701 |first=Lara |last=Sukhtian |work=Google News |agency=[[Agence France-Presse]] |date=17 April 2012 |access-date=18 April 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120501221419/https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jV1--EXM6pWmRhARdI-V0Y_MV3tQ?docId=CNG.948a2cf5c9e4b1bd3f984c4d2465ab3a.701 |archive-date=1 May 2012 }}</ref> Tiga hari sebelum perlombaan, sekelompok mekanik tim [[Force India]] yang bepergian dengan mobil sewaan tak bertanda terlibat dalam insiden [[bom bensin|bom molotov]] di penghalang jalan dadakan dan terkena [[gas air mata]] sebentar ditembakkan oleh aparat keamanan.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bahrain Grand Prix: Force India car flees petrol bomb protest|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/17767985|first=Andrew|last=Benson|work=BBC Sport|publisher=[[BBC]]|date=19 April 2012|access-date=20 April 2012}}</ref> Tidak ada korban luka atau kerusakan, namun dua mekanik yang terlibat lebih memilih untuk meninggalkan negara tersebut.<ref>{{cite news|title=F1 mechanics flee Bahrain after petrol bomb attack during street protest|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/f1-mechanics-flee-bahrain-after-petrol-bomb-attack-during-street-protest-7661468.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/f1-mechanics-flee-bahrain-after-petrol-bomb-attack-during-street-protest-7661468.html |archive-date=1 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|first1=David|last1=Tremayne|first2=Jerome|last2=Taylor|work=[[The Independent]]|date=19 April 2012|access-date=20 April 2012|location=London}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Tim kemudian mengumumkan niat mereka untuk balapan, meskipun ada insiden tersebut.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bahrain Grand Prix 2012: Force India vow to race despite petrol bomb incident|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/motorsport/formulaone/forceindia/9215001/Bahrain-Grand-Prix-2012-Force-India-vow-to-race-despite-petrol-bomb-incident.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/motorsport/formulaone/forceindia/9215001/Bahrain-Grand-Prix-2012-Force-India-vow-to-race-despite-petrol-bomb-incident.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|date=19 April 2012|access-date=20 April 2012|location=London}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
Pembalap [[Red Bull Racing]] [[Sebastian Vettel]] meraih kemenangan pertamanya musim ini setelah finis terdepan di GP Bahrain setelah bertarung ketat dengan pembalap Lotus Renault [[Kimi Raikkonen]] sepanjang balapan, pembalap asal Jerman ini mampu membuktikan dirinya masih patut diperhitungkan untuk mempertahankan gelar juara dunia miliknya. Dengan start dari posisi terdepan, Vettel mampu tampil konsisten saat balapan. Kematangan Vettel juga terlihat pada lomba kali ini, meski ditekan terus oleh Raikkonen, namun dirinya berhasil finis dengan menyisakan gap 3 detik dari driver berkebangsaan Finlandia itu.
