Abu Dhabi, Nov. 14: German Sebastian Vettel was crowned as the youngest drivers champion in Formula One history on Sunday when he outstripped all his rivals and won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix for the outstanding Red Bull team.
At 23 years and 106 days, Vettel took the title with a faultless drive from pole position to the chequered flag, resisting a strong challenge from Briton Lewis Hamilton of McLaren, who in 2008 had achieved the same feat at the age of 23 and 307 days.
Hamilton came home second after a long period of frustration behind Pole Robert Kubica’s Renault and was followed home by his team-mate and compatriot Jenson Button, the outgoing 2009 champion.
Pre-race series leader and two-time champion Fernando Alonso of Ferrari and Vettel's Australian team-mate Mark Webber fell out of contention for the title when they emerged down the field after early pit-stops.
Understanably, an emotional Vettel wept both in his car on his slowing down lap and also on the podium as the German anthem was played.
His team chief Briton Christian Horner told him: “Sebastian, you are the world champion.” Vettel replied with screams and sobs. “I love you,” he shouted.
Finn Keke Rosberg came home fourth for Mercedes on a day when his 41-year-old team-mate and compatriot Michael Schumacher had been forced to retire following a big accident on the opening lap.
Kubica came fifth ahead of his team-mate Russian Vitaly Petrov of Renault with Alonso back in seventh place.
Vettel ended up with 256 points to take the title ahead of Alonso on 252, Webber on 242, and Hamilton on 240.
Vettel made a clean start from his 10th pole of the season, leading away ahead of Hamilton and Button, who took advantage of a cautious start from Alonso to take third place.
The rest stayed in order at the front of the field with Massa ahead of Barrichello, but there was drama almost immediately at Turn Six where Schumacher spun, under pressure from Rosberg, and was left facing the wrong way as he recovered.
Italian Vitantonio Liuzzi could do nothing to avoid him as he rounded the corner and drove into the German’s car, the impact lifting the Force India driver off the circuit and across Schumacher’s cockpit, narrowly missing his head.
The Safety Car was called for immediately and the race ran in procession for the opening five laps.
Pic Caption:
Red Bull’s German driver Sebastian Vettel celebrates on the podium of the Yas Marina circuit on Sunday in Abu Dhabi after the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix. Vettel won the race and the 2010 drivers’ world championship. — AFP