We round off our classic series with the best ever race around the Yas Marina Circuit, the 2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
After winning the Indian Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel led Fernando Alonso in the Drivers’ Championship by thirteen points. The German, though, would start from the pit lane after he ran out of fuel on his way back to the pits in qualifying.
Lewis Hamilton took pole position, with Mark Webber alongside him. Vettel’s exclusion promoted Barcelona winner Pastor Maldonado to third, with Kimi Raikkonen fourth. The only other man able to win the championship, Fernando Alonso, started sixth – behind Jenson Button.
Hamilton made a brilliant getaway when the lights went out, unlike Webber. The Australian dropped to fourth place – behind the super-starting Kimi Raikkonen and Pastor Maldonado. A shunt at the first corner eliminated Nico Hulkenberg after he tangled with his teammate Paul di Resta, Sergio Perez, and Bruno Senna. The latter dropped to the back of the field. Alonso passed Button at the start to get into fifth.
The Spaniard was on a charge. He lined up a move on Webber along the first of the back straights, using the cutback to pass the Red Bull around the outside of turn 11.
His progress was halted on lap nine as the safety car was deployed for the first time in the race. Nico Rosberg had heavily crashed into the barriers after running into the back – and over the top of – Narain Karthikeyan’s HRT. The Indian driver was slowed with hydraulic problems and Rosberg failed to avoid him in time – launching the Mercedes into the air before it skidded into the crash barriers.
A peculiar incident occurred whilst the safety car was on track. Sebastian Vettel hit one of the DRS marker boards whilst taking avoiding action from the Toro Rosso of Daniel Ricciardo. The German felt that the Australian slowed rapidly. The Red Bull driver was forced to pit for a new front wing and rejoined in 21st and last place.
By far the biggest development in the race came on lap 20. Lewis Hamilton, who had dominated the race so far, ground to a halt at the exit of turn 14. Kimi Raikkonen, yet to win a race since his return to Formula One, therefore claimed the lead of the race.
Alonso claimed second position the following lap as he passed Maldonado, with Webber attempting a similar move on the next lap only to end up spinning and dropping to seventh.
It all went wrong on lap 38 for the midfield pack. Di Resta passed Grosjean on the back straight, with Sauber’s Sergio Perez attempting to follow him through. The Mexican got greedy, attempting to go around the outside of the Force India as well. He forced Di Resta off track, ran wide and clipped Romain Grosjean on his return to the circuit. The Frenchman was forced into the side of Mark Webber and both were eliminated with damage. The safety car was deployed again to allow the clean up to take place. Perez picked up a 10-second stop-go penalty for his troubles.
Vettel, who had stayed out of trouble after his front wing change, had made his way up to fourth place when the safety car was deployed and now had a golden opportunity to get on the podium when the race restarted.
He made his move into the turns 11-12-13 chicane complex, managing to do what Perez couldn’t and run side by side through turn 12.
That was the last significant action of the race. A late charge from Alonso couldn’t prevent Raikkonen from winning the race. The Fin claimed his first win since 2009. Alonso finished second and Vettel came home a brilliant third – he, of course, started from the back.
Maldonado and Senna scored a good points haul for Williams with fifth and eighth, whilst Heikki Kovalainen and Timo Glock did well to finish ahead of Perez for Caterham and Marussia.
