Newly crowned Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull Racing won his seventh straight F1 race of the season to join Michael Schumacher and Alberto Ascari as the only drivers in F1 history to win at least seven straight after winning the 55 lap Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ahead of polesitter and teammate Mark Webber and Nico Rosberg of Mercedes AMG F1.
The win was also Vettel's 11th of the F1 season, which ties the mark he set en route to winning the 2011 title.
Webber had started from pole after topping a qualifying session for the 13th time in his F1 career, which put him ahead of the qualifying record set by former three-time F1 champion and compatriot Jack Brabham.
However, Vettel did not waste time in getting past Webber at the start, who also lost out to Rosberg. The Mercedes AMG F1 driver held station in second place as Vettel seared off into the distance and opened up a gap in excess of two seconds after the opening lap.
The gap gave Vettel the cushion he needed to stay out of Drag Reduction System (DRS) range from Rosberg. The F1 champion went on to have an untroubled run at the top of the field and score his 37th career victory and bring his season points tally to an incredible 347 points.
Former double F1 champion Fernando Alonso battled from tenth place on the grid with teammate Felipe Massa (as well as the stubborn Force Indias) to take fifth and take his points tally to 217 points in second place behind Vettel.
Former F1 champion Kimi Raikkonen of Lotus F1 had a weekend to forget in Abu Dhabi as he arrived at the Yas Marina Circuit amid doubts of finishing the season with the English team due to not being paid the full amount of money due to him.
After qualifying fifth, however, the Finn was sent to the back of the starting grid after failing a floor deflection test. Any hopes of a recovery drive were thwarted after colliding with Giedo Van Der Garde of Caterham F1 and retiring from the race well into the first lap itself.
Romain Grosjean, however, salvaged some points for Lotus F1 by taking fourth place just behind Rosberg and ahead of Alonso.
Sahara Force India F1's Paul Di Resta, Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes AMG F1, Ferrari's Felipe Massa, McLaren's Sergio Perez and Force India's Adrian Sutil rounded out the top ten in the classification.
F1 ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX RACE TOP TEN (55 laps of 5.554 km circuit)
1) Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) 1hr. 38:06.106
2) Mark Webber (Red Bull) +30.8
3) Nico Rosberg (Mercedes AMG F1) +33.6
4) Romain Grosjean (Lotus F1) +34.8
5) Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) +67.1
6) Paul Di Resta (Sahara Force India) +78.1
7) Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes AMG F1) +79.2
8) Felipe Massa (Ferrari) +82.8
9) Segio Perez (McLaren) +91.1
10) Adrian Sutil (Sahara Force India) +93.2
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