Sebastian Vettel has won the final round of the 2009 season at the new Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi, ahead of team-mate Mark Webber and world champion Jenson Button. McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, who started the inaugural twilight race from pole position and was favourite to win, retired in the first half of the race due to brake problems.
Hamilton, who began in pole position, made an impressive start but soon came under pressure from Vettel, while Button overtook his team-mate Rubens Barrichello - who lost a front-wing endplate tagging Webber - for fourth on the opening lap.
Hamilton set the pace on the opening laps, but Vettel began to reduce his advantage and stayed out later before his first pitstop, setting the race's fastest lap and allowing him to jump the McLaren and take the lead. Things got worse for Hamilton when he was told over the radio his car was suffering from a right-rear brake problem - and he was then forced to retire after just 21 laps.
"I was struggling to stop the car," said Hamilton. "I do not know if it was a failure of some sort, but it was too dangerous to continue."
The McLaren driver's retirement left Vettel leading from Webber, with Toyota substitute Kamui Kobayashi - replacing the injured Timo Glock - in third. Kobayashi had started from 12th place and was fuelled for just one stop. Button in fourth, had exited the pits ahead of the Toyota, but Kobayashi battled hard for position and got his car ahead. The Japanese driver later took his sole stop of the race, finishing in an impressive sixth position.
At the halfway point of the race, Vettel looked set for a comfortable victory, with an advantage of over seven seconds on Webber, who ran wide while pushing hard to catch up, but rejoined the track. When the lead trio of Vettel, Webber and Button pitted for the second time they were able to maintain their positions.
Button put on a late charge to challenge Webber, however, getting to within a second of the Red Bull. Adding a final flourish of drama to the season, Button was just centimetres away from Webber, who looked increasingly ragged, but the Brawn was unable to get past. Meanwhile Vettel, who had an 18-second lead, did not ease up, setting the fastest time of the race on the penultimate lap.
The podium finishers were followed home at the flag by Barrichello in fourth and Heidfeld in fifth in what proved to be a largely uneventful grand prix at the new track. The result meant that Vettel held on to the runners-up position in the final drivers' standings, ahead of Barrichello.
File photo of Sebastian Vettel (2009) 
File photo of Michael Schumacher (2007)
Seven-time Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher together with F1 racer Sebastian Vettel won the Nations Cup for Germany at the Race of Champions on Tuesday. The event was held at the Bird’s Nest stadium in Beijing, China.

The winning duo beat the Brittish team of the new Formula One world champion Jenson Button and three-time World Touring Car champion Andy Priaulx.

The individual contest was won by Mattias Ekstrom, former DTM champion, who defeated Schumacher on Wednesday.

Red Bull driver Vettel also won the FIA Formula One 2009 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix earlier on November 1st at Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton was overtaken by Vettel after his first pit stop and then was forced to return to the pits soon after and quit the race after suffering a brakes problem.

Sebastian Vettel driving at 2009 Abu Dhabi GP 
Vettel's teammate and winner of the previous Grand Prix Mark Webber came second and the current season champion Jenson Button won the third place on the podium for Brawn GP after pushing Webber very hard on the dying laps of the race with a gap of about half a second at the finish line.


Rubens Barrichello was able to mantain 4th place, having been overtaken only by his teammate Button.

Nick Heidfeld took fifth in BMW 's final race. Both Toyota cars of Kamui Kobayashi and Jarno Trulli also drove the full race to finish on the back of Heidfeld. Sébastien Buemi closed the top eight for Toro Rosso.

Thus, Sebastian Vettel took the second place in the championship from Barrichello at the finale of 2009 season. Vettel claimed he will aim to become a champion next year. "There is only one step we can make for the team ranking, for the constructors, as well as for the drivers' championship, for myself. So there is no question about the target," Vettel said after the race.