Vettel finishes F1 GP season on high

ABU DHABI: Sebastian Vettel led his Red Bull teammate, Australian Mark Webber, home in an impressive one-two triumph in yesterday's season-ending inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the first 'day-night' race in Formula One history .

The 22-year-old German, in commanding form on the spectacular Yas Marina circuit, took full advantage of the early retirement of Briton Lewis Hamilton with brake problems on his McLaren Mercedes to seize his fourth win of the year.

It was the Red Bull team's fourth one-two this season, matching the record of the newly-crowned constructors' champions Brawn GP, whose new champion driver Briton, Jenson Button, finished third after a tense tussle with Webber over the final laps.

The result confirmed Vettel finished the season as runner-up in the drivers' championship behind Button while Red Bull proved they are more than worthy of finishing second to Brawn in the teams' championship.

In a race that started in late afternoon sunshine, but finished under dazzling floodlights, Brazilian veteran Rubens Barrichello finished fourth in his expected last outing for Brawn.

German Nick Heidfeld marked his last race for the departing Sauber BMW team, which is leaving F1, by taking fifth ahead of Japanese Kamui Kobayashi, who secured his first points in F1 in a Toyota in only his second race after replacing the injured Timo Glock.

Italian veteran Jarno Trulli finished seventh for Toyota and Swiss Sebastien Buemi, who was 21 on Saturday, took the final point in eighth place for Toro Rosso.

Hamilton, who was smartly out of the blocks to establish a solid early lead, retired on lap 20 with McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh indicating his car appeared to have a brake problem.

"I was struggling to stop the car," said outgoing world champion Hamilton.

"The right rear brake wasn't working and it was too dangerous to continue," Hamilton said.

AFP

(China Daily 11/02/2009 page12)