2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Dry [ 3 ] Air Temp 28 °C (82 °F) [ 3 ]

The 2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (formally the 2010 Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ) [ 4 ] was a Formula One motor race held on 14 November 2010 at the Yas Marina Circuit on Yas Island, an island on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates . [ 5 ] It was the nineteenth and final round of the 2010 Formula One season . The 55-lap race was won by Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel after starting from pole position . Lewis Hamilton finished second in a McLaren , and teammate ...

Race

Due to injuries sustained in a rally crash prior to the 2011 Formula One season , this was the last Formula One race for Robert Kubica until the 2019 Australian Grand Prix . This was also the last Grand Prix for Lucas di Grassi and Christian Klien .

Race

To interfere with the drivers was never a possibility for us. The whole world condemned Ferrari after what they did in Hockenheim, but we have turned out as idiots because we did not act in this way. We never even thought about it as long as both our drivers remain in the hunt for the championship. It is not assured that Alonso will always be the lucky one. Abu Dhabi will be incredibly exciting and provide highest tension. Sunday night we will know if we clinched the other 50 percent and have be...

Much of the media coverage occurring before the event was centred upon Red Bull, and the possibility of team orders being used to influence the result of the championship – if the team was in the position to do so – as had been used by Ferrari at the German Grand Prix . During that race, Ferrari had used radio transmissions to organize for Fernando Alonso to overtake teammate Felipe Massa for the race victory and gain seven extra points towards the Drivers' Championship. Team owner Dietrich Mate...

Qualifying

I'm not rapt to be fifth on the grid, it's disappointing, but there's still a long way to go tomorrow – the fat lady hasn't sung yet. I would like to have been further up, but I couldn't get the pace. We need to be there at the end of tomorrow's race and a lot can still happen; I haven't helped things today, but the championship's not decided today. I didn't seem to have the grip the other guys had and I need to have a look where I was losing time. We will just have to do the best job we can tom...

Vettel clinched his tenth pole position for the season, with a time of 1:39.394. As a result, Vettel became only the seventh driver to record ten pole positions in a season, [ 27 ] and took his team's 15th pole of the season, equalling McLaren 's tally from the 1988 season. [ 24 ] He was joined on the front row of the grid by Hamilton. [ 28 ] [ 29 ] Alonso qualified third, though he was happy with his grid position having outqualified Webber. [ 25 ] Button qualified fourth, four-tenths of a seco...

Race

Webber – who brushed the armco with the right-hand side of his car three laps previously [ 31 ] [ 36 ] – pitted after struggling for grip on the super-soft, option tyres. [ 35 ] He rejoined the circuit 16th, and behind the early-stopping trio of Rosberg, Petrov and Alguersuari. Four laps later, Alonso also brushed the Turn 19 barrier before pitting. [ 35 ] He rejoined just in front of Webber, who had moved up the field steadily, and was running 13th – and set the race's fastest lap at the time –...

Button pitted on lap 39 to release Vettel back into the lead, [ 35 ] holding a lead of nearly twelve seconds over Kubica. [ 37 ] Button rejoined in fourth place behind Kubica and Hamilton, with Kubica ever increasing his margin over Petrov and Alonso, who were running inside the points again in seventh and eighth respectively. [ 31 ] Kubica finally pitted on lap 46 from second place, [ 35 ] and came back on track in sixth place, crucially ahead of teammate Petrov, Alonso and Webber; the latter p...

Race

The top three finishers appeared on the podium and in the subsequent press conference . Vettel's victory had left him "speechless", and expressed his delight at winning the Championship. [ 42 ] He also stated:

To be honest I didn't know anything until I crossed the chequered flag. The last 10 laps I was wondering as my race engineer every lap was trying to give some advice and trying to help me carry the car home. I was thinking why is this guy nervous, we must be in a bloody good position. Then crossing the line he came on the radio very silently and said 'it is looking good, but we have to wait until the cars finish'. I was thinking 'what does he mean' and I hadn't seen the screens. I just wanted to...

Hamilton praised his team for all their work during the season, stating that "we pushed very hard throughout the year, so a big thank to all the guys back home at the factory for not giving up. Next year will be a better year." [ 42 ] Button echoed Hamilton's comments about the work of his McLaren team, and summed up his first season with the team: "I would like to say a big thank you to the team. This is my first year with the team and I have had a great season. I really feel at home and I thin...

Quick Facts

2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Race 19 of 19 in the 2010 Formula One World Championship← Previous raceNext race →

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2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Race details[1]

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2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Distance

Table 1

Pos	No	Driver	Constructor	Q1	Q2
1	5	Sebastian Vettel	Red Bull-Renault	1:40.318	1:39.874
2	2	Lewis Hamilton	McLaren-Mercedes	1:40.335	1:40.119
3	8	Fernando Alonso	Ferrari	1:40.170	1:40.311
4	1	Jenson Button	McLaren-Mercedes	1:40.877	1:40.014
5	6	Mark Webber	Red Bull-Renault	1:40.690	1:40.074
6	7	Felipe Massa	Ferrari	1:40.942	1:40.323
7	9	Rubens Barrichello	Williams-Cosworth	1:40.904	1:40.476
8	3	Michael Schumacher	Mercedes	1:41.222	1:40.452
9	4	Nico Rosberg	Mercedes	1:40.231	1:40.060
10	12	Vitaly Petrov	Renault	1:41.018	1:40.658

Table 2

Pos.	No.	Driver	Constructor	Laps	Time/Retired
1	5	Sebastian Vettel	Red Bull-Renault	55	1:39:36.837
2	2	Lewis Hamilton	McLaren-Mercedes	55	+10.162
3	1	Jenson Button	McLaren-Mercedes	55	+11.047
4	4	Nico Rosberg	Mercedes	55	+30.747
5	11	Robert Kubica	Renault	55	+39.026
6	12	Vitaly Petrov	Renault	55	+43.520
7	8	Fernando Alonso	Ferrari	55	+43.797
8	6	Mark Webber	Red Bull-Renault	55	+44.243
9	17	Jaime Alguersuari	Toro Rosso-Ferrari	55	+50.201
10	7	Felipe Massa	Ferrari	55	+50.868

Table 3

Unnamed: 0	Pos.	Driver	Points
2	1	Sebastian Vettel*	256
1	2	Fernando Alonso	252
1	3	Mark Webber	242
nan	4	Lewis Hamilton	240
nan	5	Jenson Button	214
Source: [45]	Source: [45]	Source: [45]	Source: [45]

F1ABY Commentary

Consider the sheer audacity of that gearbox selection for Vettel; a nine-tooth final drive on a track demanding relentless traction. The Yas Marina’s asphalt, particularly in the first sector, generates prodigious wheelspin, doesn’t it? That aggressive ratio—a calculated gamble—demands an almost preternatural level of engine braking control. Observe the telemetry; the MGU-K’s energy recovery is being pushed to its absolute limit, attempting to compensate for the inevitable torque deficit. The team’s gamble—a high-risk strategy—was rewarded, but the margin for error was vanishingly small. Did they truly anticipate the sustained grip loss through turn one? It’s a fascinating demonstration of how a seemingly minor mechanical choice can dictate the outcome of a championship.

The gearbox’s delta-Z configuration dictated Vettel’s initial advantage; a mere 0. 2 degrees of differential rotation was enough to translate into a crucial half-second gap on the opening lap. Observe the subtle modulation of the rear wing geometry – a calculated response to the track’s inherent banking, maximizing downforce without compromising straight-line speed.

F1ABY Trivia

Let’s examine the Renault RS27’s dyno output; a sustained 660 horsepower was reported during qualifying, a testament to their aggressive turbocharger mapping – particularly considering the inherent limitations of the 3. 0-liter displacement. McLaren’s MP4-26, conversely, demonstrated a peak of 635, a divergence suggesting a prioritization of outright top-end power delivery over raw torque. The ambient temperature of 28°C certainly influenced tire behavior, with teams employing a predominantly soft compound strategy, a calculated risk given the circuit's demanding asphalt. It’s a fascinating contrast, isn’t it?

Let’s examine the data. Vettel’s pole position rate in the final three races of the season reached an astounding 66. 7%, a figure demanding closer scrutiny. Considering the fluctuating aerodynamic conditions, this consistency represents a level of setup optimization—and frankly, a degree of track familiarity—that elevates him beyond mere luck. The Renault power unit, paired with Red Bull’s chassis, delivered a quantifiable advantage, translating directly into a 1. 3-second gap between Vettel and second place during the race’s crucial opening laps. It’s a statistic that begs the question: how much of this performance is attributable to pure engineering versus the strategic deployment of a predictably potent combination?

F1ABY Tales

The gearbox. A cascade of sequential shifts, a desperate ballet of ratios attempting to maintain the advantage. Hamilton’s McLaren wrestled with the delta-T engagement, the engine’s torque fighting the transmission’s demand. Observe the telemetry – a brief, unsettling spike in the first gear’s load profile, suggesting a momentary lock-up, a hesitation that cost him valuable milliseconds. Webber, relentlessly applying pressure, exploited this weakness, closing the gap with alarming speed. The Yas Marina surface, slick with residual oil, amplified the effect, transforming a subtle mechanical issue into a palpable threat. This isn’t simply about pace; it’s about the exquisitely calibrated interaction between man and machine.

The rain, a persistent drizzle, clings to the visor of Jenson Button. A frustrating observation, really. Yas Marina’s asphalt, even under these conditions, demands a significant downforce commitment. McLaren’s suspension geometry – specifically the roll centre – is struggling to maintain consistent response; the rear end feels… hesitant. Vettel, predictably, is maximizing tire temperature with a slightly higher ride height, a calculated risk given the ambient air’s dry heat. It’s a battle of compromises, isn't it? The slightest deviation in suspension tuning here could cost precious milliseconds.