Abu Dhabi GP
01/11/2009, from 13:00 hrs
Venue:
Abu Dhabi
Weather:
sunny
S. Vettel
Red Bull
M. Webber
Red Bull
+17.8
J. Button
Brawn GP
+18.4
R. Barrichello
Brawn GP
+22.7
N. Heidfeld
BMW Sauber
+26.2
K. Kobayashi
Toyota
+28.3
Positions and times
1
S. Vettel
Red Bull
1:40.2
2
2
M. Webber
Red Bull
1:40.5
2
3
J. Button
Brawn GP
1:43.5
2
4
R. Barrichello
Brawn GP
1:40.5
2
5
N. Heidfeld
BMW Sauber
1:40.4
2
6
K. Kobayashi
Toyota
1:40.7
1
7
J. Trulli
Toyota
1:40.7
2
8
S. Buemi
Toro Rosso
1:40.3
2
9
N. Rosberg
Williams
1:40.9
2
10
R. Kubica
BMW Sauber
1:40.9
2
11
H. Kovalainen
McLaren
1:41.5
1
12
K. Räikkönen
Ferrari
1:40.8
1
13
K. Nakajima
Williams
1:40.7
1
14
F. Alonso
Renault
1:40.7
1
15
V. Liuzzi
Force India
1:41.2
1
16
G. Fisichella
Ferrari
1:41.1
2
17
A. Sutil
Force India
1:44.8
2
18
R. Grosjean
Renault
1:42.2
1
19
L. Hamilton
McLaren
1:42.9
1
20
J. Alguersuari Jr.
Toro Rosso
1:43.3
1
Commentary
Lap: 55 of 5514:59
It's goodbye from us here in Abu Dhabi as we take a winter break. Join us again next year as usual for our live commentary on the various practice sessions and, of course, on the races. See you soon!
14:56
In the constructors standings, the final positions are: Brawn GP 172 points, Red Bull 153.5, McLaren 71, Ferrari 70, Toyota 59.5, BMW Sauber 36, Williams 34.5, Renault 26, Force India 13 and Toro Rosso 8 points.
14:52
The results in the drivers standings are as follows: Button 95 points, Vettel 84, Barrichello 77, Webber 69.5 and Hamilton 49.
14:50
Hamilton and Alguersuari both retired.
14:49
1. Vettel, 2. Webber, 3. Button, 4. Barrichello, 5. Heidfeld, 6. Kobayashi, 7. Trulli, 8. Buemi, 9. Rosberg, 10. Kubica, 11. Kovalainen, 12. Raikkonen, 13. Nakajima, 14. Alonso, 15. Liuzzi, 16. Fisichella 17. Sutil, 18. Grosjean.
14:47
Rosberg and Kubica complete the top ten.
14:46
Trulli and Buemi are also in the points.
14:46
Kobayashi finishes an excellent sixth.
14:44
Barrichello takes P4 ahead of Heidfeld.
14:43
World champion Button finishes in P3. He made the last few laps really interesting.
14:42
Webber manages to cling on to P2.
14:41
VETTEL WINS THE INAUGARAL RACE IN ABU DHABI!!!
14:40
Button goes for it again through the turn but Webber is able to hold him off. What a great scrap on the final lap!
14:38
Button tries to go by on the outside but has to drop back.
14:37
Webber drifts wildly. Button must make his move with one lap to go.
14:36
For the first time, Button pops out of Webber's slip stream.
14:34
Button has yet to mount an attack with 3 laps to go.
14:33
Button must keep up the pressure and hope that Webber makes a mistake. The final 4 laps could be very exciting.
14:31
The World Champion is in Webber's dirty slip-stream. It could be tricky. Will Button take a chance?
14:29
Webber makes a mistake. Now Button is all over the Australian with 6 laps to go.
14:27
Button is gaining on Webber but he'll have to step on it in the final seven laps.
14:24
The drivers on a two pit stop strategy have now made their last stops. The positions are: it's Vettel then Webber, Button, Barrichello, Heidfeld, Kobayashi, Trulli, Buemi, Rosberg and Kubica.
14:20
We're into the final 10 laps.
14:19
It looks like Kobayashi has lost his chance of a podium finish. He's currently in P6.
14:17
Vettel, Button and Trulli make their second pit stop.
14:16
Kubica tries to take Buemi on the outside. The two have contact and Kubica spins.
14:15
Barrichello, Heidfeld and Buemi now make their last pit stop.
14:14
Webber pits for the second time.
14:12
The interim positions are: Vettel then Webber, Button, Barrichello, Heidfeld, Trulli, Kubica, Buemi, Rosberg and Kobayashi.
14:11
20 laps to go. Sutil overtakes Liuzzi and moves into P15.
14:09
Alonso now makes his pit stop as planned.
14:08
Kobayashi avoids a scrap as he lets Alonso through.
14:07
Alonso turns up the heat on Kobayashi.
14:06
Sutil overtakes Grosjean and moves into P16.
14:05
Vettel has a comfortable lead of 10 seconds. He won't be caught napping today.
14:03
23 laps to go. Vettel leads then it's Webber, Button, Barrichello, Heidfeld, Trulli, Kubica, Rosberg, Buemi and Kobayashi.
14:02
The McLaren driver rejoins the track ahead of Raikkonen and might secure that P3 in the constructors' standings for his team.
14:00
Kovalainen pits. What will happen to that P3 in the constructors' standings?
13:59
Fisichella gets a drive-through penalty for going too quickly in the pit lane. He's well down in P17.
13:57
Kobayashi now pits. He too goes onto soft tyres and won't make another pit stop. He will have to put in 25 laps on these tyres. No easy task.
13:56
Raikkonen pits. He goes onto soft tyres and will have to use them to the end of the race.
13:55
Kobayashi is closing on Webber. The Toyota driver could make the podium today.
13:54
Kobayashi is having a great race. He's currently in P3 and is on a one-stop strategy.
13:52
Vettel is now steaming ahead, letting the frustrations of the last few weeks fall away.
13:51
This year, McLaren has won two GPs and Ferrari just one. In the event of a tie, P3 would go to McLaren.
13:50
The scrap for P3 in the constructors' standings is hotting up. McLaren is just one point ahead of Ferrari and as Hamilton has retired, Raikkonen is in P6 and Kovalainen in P7. At the moment, it's a tie.
13:46
The current positions are: Vettel leads from Webber, Kobayashi (still to pit), Button, Barrichello, Raikkonen (still to pit), Kovalainen (still to pit), Heidfeld, Trulli and Kubica.
13:45
The drivers who were on a two stop strategy have now all pitted.
13:44
Alguersuari runs out of fuel. He got the wrong garage and had to leave the pit lane without fuelling.
13:42
There are now two Red Bulls in the lead.
13:42
Hamilton retires in the pits with brake trouble.
13:41
Hamilton pits again. There's a problem with his McLaren.
13:40
Vettel takes the lead from Hamilton and Webber in the Abu Dhabi GP.
13:39
Vettel pits.
13:38
Webber rejoins the track behind Hamilton. Vettel can do it. He's going very well.
13:37
Mark Webber pits. Vettel sets the fastest lap.
13:36
Kobayashi otsmarts World Champion Button and moves into P8.
13:35
How long can Vettel stay out?
13:35
The McLaren crew do their work superbly. Button too has pitted.
13:34
Hamilton comes into the pits. He could lose his lead.
13:32
Hamilton posts the fastest lap again.
13:32
Barrichello and Kubica pit.
13:31
Hamilton again moves up a few tenths of a second.
13:30
Just one second now between Hamilton and Vettel.
13:29
Mark Webber has just posted the fastest lap.
13:28
Webber too is now pushing hard. He's going for P3.
13:27
The next few laps could prove to be the race decider.
13:27
Vettel can stay out on the track for one or two laps more than Hamilton and so holds all the aces.
13:25
Vettel is right up behind Hamilton. 7 or 8 laps to go before the first pit stops.
13:23
Hamilton makes a small error and Vettel reduces the deficit to less than a second.
13:22
After 10 laps the positions are: Hamilton leads then it's Vettel, Webber, Button, Barrichello, Kubica, Trulli, Heidfeld, Rosberg and Buemi.
13:21
Hamilton counter-attacks as he now sets the fastest lap time.
13:20
Vettel senses an opportunity. Hamilton is expected to pit after another nine laps.
13:19
Vettel has reduced the deficit. The pit stops should be very interesting.
13:17
Vettel is hot on Hamilton's heels. Remember, he will be able to pit later than Lewis.
13:15
Webber posts the fastest lap.
13:15
Barrichello is managing his problem well and is again quicker than Button.
13:13
Vettel is able to match the British driver's pace.
13:12
Hamilton's dominance in the race is less than was thought at the end of qualifying.
13:12
That's why Barrichello can't keep up with his team-mate.
13:11
Barrichello's front wing is damaged. He lost bits of it right at the start when he collided with Webber.
13:09
Button is closing on Webber and putting pressure on the Australian.
13:08
Barrichello has lost contact with Button.
13:07
After two laps the interim positions are: it's Hamilton then Vettel, Webber, Button, Barrichello, Kubica, Trulli, Heidfeld, Rosberg and Buemi.
13:06
Trulli overtakes Kubica and moves into P6, but the Polish driver regains his position with a bit of aggressive driving.
13:03
Hamilton retains his lead on Vettel and Webber.
13:03
We're away!
13:01
No problems so far as the cars warm up.
13:00
The drivers are out on the parade lap.
12:58
The weather here in Abu Dhabi: air temperature 31°C, track temperature 33°C.
12:51
The racing cars are ready on the grid and the race will start shortly.
12:51
As for the drivers outside of the top ten, most of them will be on a one-stop strategy. They will have the opportunity to add extra fuel later.
12:50
The vehicle weights yesterday did not reveal any big surprises. Hamilton's car is a bit lighter than Vettel's but the German driver will only be able to stay out on the track for, at most, two laps more than Lewis.
12:49
The weather here today will not play a significant role, as the chances of rain falling are nil.
12:48
Kimi Raikkonen is in P11. Fernando Alonso is in P15 and Adrian Sutil in P17.
12:47
Nico Rosberg and Sebastian Buemi complete the top ten.
12:47
Jenson Button and BMW have the fourth row of the grid stitched up with Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld.
12:46
Jenson Button and Jarno Trulli are on the third row.
12:46
The second row is led by Mark Webber, followed by Rubens Barrichello.
12:46
Next to him is Sebastian Vettel. He won't have an easy job at the start, as Hamilton will be able to use the full power of his KERS system.
12:45
The British driver was unbeatable and gained pole position for McLaren, with just under 7/10ths of a second up on the other drivers.
12:44
Let's take a look at the positions on the grid. Yesterday, in qualifying, Lewis Hamilton finished in pole position by a good margin.
12:43
At the moment, the sun is very low in the sky. This will pose a problem for drivers primarily on turn 15.
12:42
The sun is just about to set and as the race closes, it will be dark.
12:40
This last race of the season is also one of the year's highlights. Close to a billion pounds has been spent on the track here.
12:39
Welcome to the Abu Dhabi GP here at the Yas Marina Bay Circuit.
For officially confirmed data and results from the Formula One World Championships, please visit www.formula1.com.