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Vettel Leads Red Bull 1-2 at Abu Dhabi

Sebastian Vettel won the inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit in the United Arab Emirates ahead of teammate Mark Webber, the pair recording Red Bull’s 4th 1-2 of the season. The German driver therefore ended the season with 4 wins under his belt, a situation eased by McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton and his aggressive driving style on Sunday.

The Brit started from pole position and looked strong in the leading spot during his first stint, only for things to take a really bad turn following his first pit stop. His heavy braking led to a right-hand rear brake failure, and the former world champion was forced to end his race in the pits.

From that point on, the two Red Bulls dominated the action in Abu Dhabi, with Kamui Kobayashi looking surprisingly set for an incredible 3rd place overall. However, the Japanese driver finally pitted his TF109 halfway through the race and dropped further down the field, but he still managed to score a Top 8 finish at his 2nd outing in F1 (6th place).

That left Jenson Button all alone in his quest for a podium place at Yas Marina, as he insisted (prior to the race) that he wants to exit the 2009 stage with a remarkable result. With no one left to pressure him for 3rd place, he even gave the fans something to cheer about in the final stages of the race, when he fought Mark Webber for the runner-up spot.

The last lap was a fight for survival for the Aussie driver, who eventually managed to keep his 2nd place to the chequered flag ahead of the 2009 champion. Rubens Barrichello’s 4th place meant Brawn GP have failed to score a 1-2 in the drivers’ championship, as the Brazilian driver ended the season 7 points behind Vettel.

BMW Sauber may not find a place on the 2010 grid next year, but they sure kept their promise to never give up on their 2009 campaign until the very end. Nick Heidfeld boosted his chances of inking a more fruitful deal next year with a 5th place finish, ahead of rookie Kamui Kobayashi and Jarno Trulli. The last point-scoring position belonged to Toro Rosso’s Sebastien Buemi.
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