Sebastian Vettel cruised to victory at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ahead of Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber after Lewis Hamilton was forced to retire early.
The McLaren pole-sitter had to stop on lap 20 with a brake problem after which Germany's Vettel romped home with ease in Formula 1's first twilight race.
New world champion Jenson Button launched an edgy attack on Webber late on but had to settle for third.
His Brawn team-mate Rubens Barrichello was fourth at the new Yas Marina track.
The veteran Brazilian never threatened to make up the three points he needed to overhaul Vettel in the final drivers' standings and the 37-year-old must settle for third place after a season in which he occasionally looked like a potential world champion.
 |
I was always catching up in the last sector. That was the secret
Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel
|
BMW Sauber's Nick Heidfeld came fifth in Abu Dhabi ahead of Toyota's rookie Kamui Kobayashi, while the Japanese's team-mate Jarno Trulli was seventh with Toro Rosso's Sebastien Buemi eighth.
Vettel recorded the fourth win of his hugely-promising season and it was also the third time Red Bull scored a one-two this year.
The last grand prix of 2009 was a largely uneventful race held at the spectacular and well-received new Yas Marina circuit, in which the Abu Dhabi government has invested huge amounts of money.
It was expected that Englishman Hamilton would cruise to victory after a storming performance in qualifying on Saturday in a McLaren car which he said had not been better all season.
But Vettel was afforded that luxury after Hamilton's car suffered a brake problem, McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh explaining to his disappointed driver that the team could not take any risks.
"I was locking and locking and locking it was harder than ever to drive the car," Hamilton told BBC Sport.
"It's a shame as the car felt so good these last couple of days, but we haven't had many brake problems this year so there you go.
"But I still think the whole team should be really proud of how we have recovered this season."
Pole-sitter Hamilton had just lost the lead to Vettel seconds before he retired, the order of the starting grid having not changed up front as all the cars made a rare clean start.
In the 20 laps they were racing each other, Hamilton was unable to build any significant gap on Vettel as Red Bulls tyres worked best on the new track.
Hamilton pitted on lap 18 but when Vettel made his own stop two laps later he was able to emerge at the front of the pack and put himself in charge of a race which only really lit up with Webber and Button's last-lap duel.
 Germany's Vettel clinched his fourth win of the 2009 season in Abu Dhabi
|
"We had a very good launch and I was close to out-accelerating Lewis, but he disappeared into the distance with his Kers [energy-boost button]," said Vettel.
"But I was able to stay close enough and we knew we were a little bit heavier and I was always catching up in the last sector. That was the secret.
"After he retired I had a little bit of a cushion and was able to pace myself… but the car was brilliant. A pleasure to sit in it. It's a shame the season ends now but it's a perfect day to finish it on a high."
Barrichello, who looks likely to join Williams next season, suffered from wing damage in a small collision with Webber as the cars made their way through Yas Marina's first turn for the first time - and his chances of a win went with it as Button managed to get by early on.
The world champion was passed himself after pitting on lap 18, with new boy Kobayashi - standing in for injured Timo Glock again - slipping through cleverly in his lighter car at the third attempt.
Unlike the pack who started at the front Kobayashi was on a one rather than two pit-stop strategy and duly could not keep that position gained, but his sixth will be widely admired in F1 circles - especially with many driver line-ups not confirmed for next season.
"The performance was really great," he told BBC Sport.
"It was wet in Brazil and dry here, but for me it's easy to adapt to different conditions."
- purchase isotretinoin - order isotretinoin online
- cheap propecia - order generic propecia online
- viagra kaufen online
- buy valium online - buy valium
- cialis kaufen billig - viagra kaufen
No comments:
Post a Comment