00:00Formula 1 returned to Abu Dhabi for the penultimate round in the championship.
00:20The Yas Marina circuit is a truly impressive venue,
00:23but it was at the inaugural Indian Grand Prix last time out
00:26that Mercedes equalled their best result of the season.
00:30I think it's our strongest, or equal strongest, finish of the season.
00:37And I think encouraging, because we were in touch for a while with some of the faster cars.
00:46A very, very solid result for the team,
00:48and seeing our two drivers race well together was encouraging.
00:53I think we need to keep it in perspective, it's not where we want to be.
00:57But with the car we have at the moment, then I think it was the best we could have achieved.
01:03We're all very, very highly motivated.
01:05I know everybody in Formula 1 is highly motivated,
01:07but we've got all the means at our disposal to do the job.
01:11We've been very fortunate in getting some extremely high-caliber people to join the team.
01:19Bob Bell, Aldo Costa, Jeff Willis, plus the people.
01:25We haven't lost anyone.
01:27We've kept the engineers we've had, because we've got some great engineers at the team already.
01:31And to be able to keep them and add people of the experience and knowledge of Bob, Jeff and Aldo is, you know,
01:41I'm very excited about it.
01:42I think with Nico, he's a relatively young driver, possibly got other opportunities.
01:52And I think he's very keen on the team.
01:56He believes in the team.
01:57And to have his commitment is a great reward and motivation for the team.
02:04So that was great to get that put in place.
02:07I think with Michael, we're fairly relaxed.
02:09You know, we know Michael's with the team, wants to build the team, wants to be part of his success.
02:16And if we can have a stronger performance next year,
02:19then there's every reason Michael will want to continue and benefit
02:23and get the reward of that improved performance.
02:28No one could question Red Bull's performance this year,
02:30but seeing Vettel in the barriers on a Friday was becoming something of a familiar sight.
02:43It appeared that the world champion liked to see how far he could push.
02:47And that was clearly too much.
03:00Christian Horner didn't look impressed.
03:05But it didn't seem to affect Sebastian's qualifying performance on Saturday
03:09as he took his 14th poll of the year.
03:12Fantastic, Seb, under pressure you delivered.
03:41Fantastic, great achievement.
03:43You've matched one of the all-time greats.
03:46Fantastic.
03:49Vettel had matched Mansell's record from 1992,
03:53but the McLarens were on the pace and ready to pounce.
03:57Alonso started fifth for the eighth time this year,
04:00ahead of Massa and the two Mercedes.
04:02The Force Indias were next on two different strategies,
04:05while Perez had high hopes from 11th.
04:07Senna was not happy with how Saturday had panned out,
04:11but would the race be any better?
04:15With penalties further back,
04:17Kovalainen and Trulli could get involved in some midfield action.
04:21There were new engines for both Williams,
04:23and Barrichello was allowed to start despite not setting a time.
04:29McLaren looked strong,
04:30but Vettel took his usual position at the front of the grid.
04:33Formula One's only day-to-night race was underway.
04:39Sebastian made a reasonable start,
04:41but his charge was all over in just a matter of seconds.
04:55He slowly got going,
04:57but was forced to crawl around at the back of the field.
05:04Some smoking bodywork on the Red Bull looked dramatic,
05:08but it didn't delay his getaway,
05:10so Hamilton and Button slotted in behind.
05:18And got a good view of Sebastian's first retirement
05:21since Korea 2010.
05:23Senna had been slow to pull away from 14th.
05:32But Alonso got a good run at Weber.
05:35Massa nearly lost out to Rosberg.
05:37The Mercedes went wide and dropped behind his teammate,
05:40while Vettel counted the cars in front of him for once.
05:43Jerez was stuck in a queue and couldn't avoid a brush,
05:52with Sutil ahead.
05:58He dropped back,
06:00but the damage seemed minimal,
06:01for the moment at least.
06:08Race leader Hamilton kept an eye on his mirrors,
06:10while Button found his full with Alonso,
06:14as the two Mercedes went head-to-head again.
06:17A fired-up Fernando went second at Jenson's expense,
06:21while Michael held off Nico's challenge.
06:23For now,
06:26Button kept pushing the Ferrari.
06:32Rosberg had just re-signed for his team
06:35and relegated Schumacher to 7th.
06:37Vettel's tyre had fallen off completely,
06:41and he was in dire need of some attention.
06:59He made it back to the pits,
07:01where his mechanics were ready,
07:02but the resulting suspension damage
07:04forced him to retire.
07:24The prospect of not racing
07:26was not one he relished.
07:28Lap 2 and Sauber found Sergio's car
07:35had sustained more damage than first thought,
07:37so he pitted for a front wing
07:39and a set of medium tyres
07:40in a bid to make a comeback.
07:44Vettel was consoled by Bernie Eccleston himself.
07:50Early pit stops left the Saubers
07:52at the back of the field.
07:54Perez had made his way through
07:55the battling his Spaniards.
08:02Now, Kobayashi took advantage
08:04and dived down the inside.
08:12Webber and Button went at it hammer and tongs.
08:15At the end of the second DRS zone,
08:17Jenson locked up
08:18and Mark got ahead.
08:20But he couldn't make it stick.
08:25Vettel kept a keen eye on the race.
08:39Lack 17 and Webber was in for his first stop.
08:43But a problem with his right rear wheel nut
08:45kept him stationary far longer than he wanted
08:47and prompted a strategic rethink from his team.
08:51The pit lane exit under the track
08:58made it seem even longer.
09:00By the time he rejoined,
09:01he dropped to fifth behind Massa.
09:10OK, Jenson, Webber has pitted.
09:13He had a very slow stop.
09:14He's out of the picture.
09:15So, too, was Buemi.
09:18A loss of fluid from the hydraulic system
09:20meant that he didn't even make half distance
09:22before he had to park up.
09:28Schumacher had pitted
09:29and chased down one stopping Diresta.
09:35On fresher tyres,
09:37Michael made it look easy
09:38and moved up to eighth.
09:39Well, if we can make this work,
09:47this is looking good.
09:48Everybody around you
09:49has got one stop to make
09:50and they will be on prime.
09:57Webber had made up the time he had lost
09:59and was right up behind Massa.
10:03Both drivers were nearing the end of their second stint
10:05and were starting to struggle.
10:11Webber waited to use DRS
10:13and got the job done.
10:32But Massa was able to get him back
10:34in the second zone.
10:50Hamilton led,
10:51but Alonso was up for a fight.
11:00The Ferrari driver had never been on the podium
11:02in Abu Dhabi
11:03and he was aiming for that top step.
11:12Lap 40 and McLaren
11:14prepared for Hamilton's second stop.
11:27Button and Webber
11:28had both pitted for a second time,
11:30but as Webber was yet to use
11:31the medium compound,
11:32he would have to make a third trip
11:34to the pit lane.
11:46The only option was to pass the McLaren
11:48and pull out enough of a gap
11:50to stay ahead.
11:51Three laps later and Alonso was in.
12:06He had stayed out longer on the softs
12:08in the hope of jumping Hamilton,
12:09but having Ricciardo in front
12:11did nothing to help his cause
12:12and he would exit behind the McLaren.
12:14Webber had to push now.
12:20He had a chance to take third from Rosberg,
12:22who was yet to make his final stop.
12:23The Saubas battled each other.
12:43But it was Kobayashi
12:44who stormed into the final points position.
12:47Massa dropped behind Webber
12:54in the last round of stops,
12:55but as the Red Bull needed to pit again,
12:57maybe Felipe pushed too hard
12:59to get back ahead.
13:00Lap 54 and it was as late as it could be.
13:07The Red Bull mechanics prepared for their man.
13:13No problems this time.
13:15He dropped behind Button,
13:16but he did stay ahead of Massa at least.
13:20By his own admission,
13:22Hamilton needed a turnaround in fortunes
13:23and it looked like that time had come.
13:27He took his third victory of the year.
13:29His first in Abu Dhabi.
13:34Alonso was second.
13:36Button finished third despite a Kurz issue.
13:38Schumacher battled a slow puncture towards the end
13:40while Force India hedged their bets
13:42and ran two different strategies
13:44to protect their place in the Constructors' Championship.
13:49With the first podium of 2011
13:52to feature neither Red Bull driver,
13:54it looked like their bubble had burst.
13:55But Hamilton was more than happy to be back on track.
14:00Fantastic.
14:01Really, really very, very happy with that.
14:04I think this weekend,
14:05just finding some really good inspiration
14:07and have my family members with me,
14:11which has been really positive.
14:13and I don't know,
14:15I've just been a little bit clearer
14:16in my thought process this weekend.
14:18I've just know what I want,
14:20know how I want it and how to get it
14:23and I've just been dedicating myself to that.
14:26A lot of the game that we're playing
14:27is psychological, you know,
14:29and it's been a tough,
14:31it's been a difficult year for me
14:32in many, many ways.
14:34And so, yeah,
14:35so this weekend I wanted my mum to come out
14:37because it was her birthday
14:38and it's also my stepdad's birthday, so.
14:43But just to have them with me
14:45and to be able to go out to dinner with them,
14:46enjoy the weekend with them
14:47was just really special.
14:51And I have my management with me
14:53who's lovely to be around as well.
14:55So, just generally,
14:57I think I had that bubble this weekend.
14:59I need to make sure I have it always.
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