Formula One welcomes its new world champion. Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel became the youngest champion in Formula One history after executing a faultless race to victory in Abu Dhabi.
Vettel held onto the lead from the start. Jenson Button beat Alonso from the starting line. The most crucial event broke out in the opening lap when Mercedes GP’s Michael Schumacher lost control and spun following a collision with helpless Tonio Liuzzi.
During the safety car’s run Petrov, Nico Rosberg and Alguersuari seized the opportunity and made their compulsory tyre-change pit stops.
By lap 8 Vettel had gained a 2.1-second lead over Hamilton followed by Button. Mark Webber found himself behind the rear end of Ferrari’s Alonso. Webber went on to lose distance as he struggled to keep up with Alonso. Although Alonso set a best driver’s
lap in lap 13, Webber was gaining in on him setting the fastest lap on lap 14.
As the super-soft tyres started to enter their graining phase their traction eroded. Alonso almost lost control and nearly brushed the barriers after Webber had hit them on the same turn. Alonso was called in for a pit stop at the end of lap 15. He rejoined
in front of Webber but behind two cars who had already taken their scheduled pit stops, Rosberg and Petrov.
Vettel briefly gave away the lead to Button, who had not taken his pit stop yet, for his compulsory pit stop and regained his position later. By now it was for certain that Alonso’s hopes for the championship drained as both Petrov and Roseberg needed not
to stop again. Overtaking is almost impossible on the Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit. Alonso was glued to the 7th position as he was trapped behind Petrov. To win the championship he had to finish at least fourth, which didn’t seem plausible anymore.
As the race drew to its conclusion, Vettel was 10 seconds ahead of Hamilton and Button a couple of seconds behind his team mate. Alonso’s desperation seemed visible as he made several attempts to pass Renault’s Petrov, however Petrov drove remarkably well,
holding onto his position.
Red Bull chose to inform Vettel about what was going on only in the last few laps. Vettel’s championship was official as he cruised by the chequered flag. He could barely cage his emotions and excitement while on the team radio.
"I'm a bit speechless to be honest. It has been an incredible tough season for me, for all of us, physically and mentally."
said the 23-year-old, F1's youngest-ever Champion.
The drivers’ championship showed Vettel with 256, Alonso with 252, Webber with 242 and Hamilton with 240 points. On the constructors’ standings, Red Bull finished at the top spot fetching 498 points in comparison to McLaren’s 454 and Ferrari’s 396.
Alonso encountered Petrov in the slow down lap expressing frustration and anger through abrupt hand signals. But the Russian explained he was just doing his job and the Spaniard had to acknowledge that Petrov drove magnificently.
The final race at Abu Dhabi did justice with season, proving to be a dramatic finale. No one could have foreseen the conclusion as four drivers went into the race hoping to win the championship, but it was Vettel who took the honours.
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