Sebastian Vettel drove a masterful race to win the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and lift his first Formula 1 world title.
The 23-year-old Red Bull driver was third in the standings but led from pole and saw other results go his way to become the youngest ever champion.
Ferrari’s championship leader Fernando Alonso came seventh, with Red Bull’s other title hope Mark Webber eighth.
Lewis Hamilton, who had a slim title chance, finished second and his McLaren team-mate Jenson Button was third.
Click Here to Read More
Formula 1: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Race Results
Formula 1: Sebastian Vettel Grabs Pole at Abu Dhabi
Formula 1: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Race Line-Up
It was a dramatic end to an enthralling season and gave Red Bull, who sealed the constructors’ championship with Vettel’s victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix, their first divers’ title.
The final standings had Vettel top on 256 points, four clear of Alonso, 14 above Webber and 16 in front of Hamilton.
“I’m a bit stressed to be honest, I don’t know what I’m supposed to say,” Vettel, who had not previously led this season’s championship, said. BBC Sport
Out on the track, however, there was consternation when Alonso drew up alongside Vitaly Petrov as the Spaniard wagged his finger at the Renault driver after being help up for around 40 laps.
Petrov, however, was perfectly within his rights to fight for his eventual sixth place, his second best result of the year, and one which may yet lead to him retaining his place for next season.
The start was typically dramatic, albeit with all the action going on behind the leading quintet who were making their way onto one of the longest straights in F1 when the action unfolded.
It was sparked by nothing more than a nudge from Nico Rosberg on Mercedes team-mate Michael Schumacher on the approach into turn six, a sharp right-hander.
The minor impact was enough to spin seven-times champion Schumacher into oncoming traffic, leaving Force India’s Vitantonio Liuzzi with nowhere to go. The Press Association
It barely mattered that Jaime Alguersuari took ninth for Toro Rosso, not having helped his Red Bull stablemate Webber at all in the laps immediately after the Australian’s stop, then came a disgruntled Felipe Massa for Ferrari in 10th from Nick Heidfeld’s BMW Sauber, Rubens Barrichello’s Williams, Sutil, Kobayashi, Buemi and Hulkenberg.
Lotus’s Heikki Kovalainen won the newbie stakes for Tony Fernandes’s team, ahead of Lucas di Grassi’s Virgin and the HRTs of Bruno Senna and Christian Klien. Jarno Trulli’s Lotus was the final classified finisher after both his front and rear wings suffered failures at different parts of the race.
Joining Force India’s Liuzzi and Schumacher as a non-fnisher was Timo Glock’s Virgin, which stopped late in the race. Formula 1
| 
|