Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2011 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Lewis Hamilton claimed a brilliant victory at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, ending Sebastian Vettel's winning streak and delivering McLaren a morale-boosting result at the spectacular Yas Marina Circuit. The British driver produced an excellent performance under the floodlights to beat Fernando Alonso and teammate Jenson Button, providing one of the season's few races where Red Bull didn't dominate and giving Hamilton his third win of the campaign.

Vettel started from pole position with a lap of 1:38.481, appearing set to cruise to another victory at the state-of-the-art Yas Marina facility. However, Hamilton had other plans. The 2008 World Champion drove an aggressive opening stint and employed superior tire management to work his way past Vettel and into the lead. The McLaren MP4-26 showed strong race pace under the Abu Dhabi floodlights, and Hamilton made no mistakes as he controlled the closing stages to claim victory. Mark Webber set the fastest lap but could only finish outside the podium positions, while Vettel's championship celebrations were dampened by a rare defeat - though with the title already secured, the result mattered little.

Alonso drove another strong race to finish second for Ferrari, continuing his season-long consistency despite inferior machinery. The Spaniard's runner-up finish secured him third place in the final championship standings, a remarkable achievement given Ferrari's struggles throughout the year. Button completed the podium in third place, ensuring McLaren finished the season strongly and giving the team confidence heading into 2012. The race around Yas Marina's unique twilight setting - starting in daylight and finishing under floodlights - provided a spectacular visual backdrop. Hamilton's victory proved that when circumstances aligned, McLaren could still beat Red Bull, offering hope that the championship fight might be more competitive in 2012. However, Vettel and Red Bull's dominance throughout 2011 had been so complete that few genuinely believed anyone could challenge them.