The 2011 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was the 18th and penultimate round of that season, where Sebastian Vettel was eyeing to complete his hat-trick at the desert track.
The first practice session saw Jenson Button setting the fastest lap time ahead of Mark Webber and Lewis Hamilton. The latter had set the early pace, using Pirelli’s experimental development tyres, but Webber and Sebastian Vettel surpassed him.
Hamilton then also led most of the final qualifying session, only to be beaten to pole position by Vettel, who also equalled Nigel Mansell’s record of 14 poles in a season on his last lap. Vettel, who won swept through the previous two editions of the race for Red Bull-Renault, had to retire after a puncture in the first lap, near the second corner. It was his first retirement since the 2010 Korean Grand Prix, where he encountered a problem with his engine.
It prevented him from equalling Michael Schumacher’s record of 13 wins in one season. It also turned out to the only race in 2011 where neither Red Bull drivers finished on the podium as Vettel’s teammate Mark Webber finished fourth. Once Vettel was out of the way, Hamilton led the race won it virtually untroubled.
Alonso finished second after he overtook Button on first lap, the Briton eventually finished third. Webber dropped to behind Alonso at the start, but remained fourth after Vettel’s retirement. He battled with Button throughout the race, but to no avail. Webber was followed by Felipe Massa, the two Mercedes, the two Force Indias, and the two Saubers — with Kobayashi taking the final point and Pérez missing out in eleventh.
Jérôme d’Ambrosio, Sébastien Buemi and Daniel Ricciardo were the other retirements of the race. Hamilton, with that win, tried to turn around a difficult season in which he has struggled both on and off the track.
— N.D. Prashant, Staff Reporter
