Sports
Red Bull Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany (front) celebrates his win with his second placed team mate Mark Webber (AFP Photo / Getty Images)
Red Bull finish season on high note
Published 01 November, 2009, 19:16
Sebastian Vettel and his team mate Mark Webber have secured a one-two finish for Red Bull at this year’s final Formula One Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi.
Sebastian Vettel finished first in the final round of the 2009 season at the new Yas Marina circuit, 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.
“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.”
Vettel believes Hamilton’s retirement was the turning point of the race.
“Hamilton had to retire and up to then it was a great race,” he said. “After that I had a cushion to Mark and Jenson behind and was able to pace myself. The car was fantastic.”
“It's a perfect day to finish the season on a high,” Vettel added, as the result means that the German holds on to the runners-up position in the final drivers' standings, ahead of Barrichello. Despite Sunday’s race win, Red Bull finish second in the teams’ competition behind Brawn.
