The 2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was the 18th round of the 2012 Formula One season and Lotus driver Kimi Räikkönen, known as the ‘Iceman’ on the circuit, won it after starting from fourth position. Fernando Alonso finished second in a Ferrari with his championship rival Sebastian Vettel third for Red Bull.

Heading into the 18th race of the season, Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel led the Drivers’ Championship with 240 points ahead of championship rival Fernando Alonso (227 points) and Räikkönen with 173. Vettel’s teammate Mark Webber was in fourth place on 167 points and Lewis Hamilton was a close fifth on 165 points.

The conditions for the qualifying periods were hot but Hamilton set the fastest time in all three sessions and clinched his sixth pole position of the season with a lap of 1:40.630. He was joined on the front row of the grid by Webber, who recorded a time three-tenths of a second off Hamilton’s pace. Vettel secured third position but was ordered by Red Bull via radio to stop on his in-lap because his car was running low on fuel.

As a result, every driver who qualified behind Vettel was promoted one position.

During the race, Hamilton led from Räikkönen, Maldonado, Alonso, Webber, Button. He complained of cold tyres and locked up heading into turn eight on lap two — allowing Räikkönen to gain advantage but Hamilton withstood pressure from the Lotus driver to retain the lead till lap 20. Then the Briton was seen slowly pulling over to the side of the track with a fuel pressure problem, handing the lead to Räikkönen and Alonso inherited second. Grosjean and Webber retired because of damage to their cars and the debris on-track from the accident called for the safety car that remained out for three laps. The Button-Vettel duel allowed Alonso to break free and he started chasing down Räikkönen, who didn’t let the edge till the finish. The victory was Räikkönen’s first of the season and his first since he returned to Formula One at the start of the year.

Alonso’s second place allowed him to narrow the gap to Vettel in the Drivers’ Championship to 10 points.

— N.D. Prashant, Staff Reporter