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ABU DHABI: 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.
Understandably, 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.
Germany’s Nico 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.
It was a crushing win by Vettel and swept away any controversy about team orders or Alonso’s validity to be champion following the row over Ferrari’s use of team orders at the German Grand Prix.
Horner said: “It’s unbelievable! It’s been a very emotional week for this team. It’s the first time Sebastian has led the world championship and he’s done it when it counted, at the last race of the year.
“Mark (Webber) can also be very proud of his efforts this season. We’re double world champions – it’s unbelievable!”
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 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 until it resumed for lap six with Vettel ahead of Hamilton, Button, Alonso and Webber.
The Australian gave the barriers at Turn 19 a warm kiss on lap eight, sending the sparks flying, but underlining his determination to fight to the end of the 2010 season.
The impact caused some damage and three laps later, Webber swept into the pits after complaining he was “losing the rear tyres.”
When he rejoined it was in 16th place, in heavy midfield traffic, with his prospects for glory dimmed – Alonso pitted on lap 15.
Alonso’s pit stop was seemingly calculated to make sure he could baulk Webber’s progress in a pragmatic tactical contest but it was to rebound badly.
At the front, it remained unchanged with Vettel leading, chased by Hamilton and Button in close support, but the various pit-stops behind them had left Alonso 11th and Webber 12th as they worked through the field – and both men out of the title fight in those positions.
There was clear alarm on the Ferrari pit wall at this scenario and, on lap 21, they reminded Alonso to push.
“I know you are trying your best,” he was told. “But it is critical that you pass Petrov.”
Vettel had pitted, at phenomenal speed, after 24 laps. Vettel rejoined ahead of Hamilton on the road and after clocking a fastest lap himself was second nearly 15 seconds behind Button.
Hamilton was locked in a frustrating battle to find a way of passing Kubica while Vettel reeled off two fastest laps in pursuit of Button, trimming his lead to 11.6 seconds.
The young German set another fastest lap on lap 34 as he cut Button’s lead to 8.4 seconds while Hamilton complained, to his team, that his front left tyre was badly worn. “We cannot afford any more stops,” he was told.
Button pitted finally after 39 laps, giving Vettel the lead and a grip on both the race and the championship with 15 laps remaining and he never let go.
