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There was something prodigious about Lewis Hamilton when he made his debut in the Formula One circuit in 2007, and he quite lived up to the status for the first two seasons. From finishing second in the drivers' championship in the very first year, he became the youngest world champion at 23 years the next year — and the first black champion ever. Image Credit: EPA

Abu Dhabi: McLaren's Lewis Hamilton made the most of Sebastian Vettel’s absence when he won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix today.

Red Bull's double Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel suffered his first race retirement in more than a year when his car spun out of control after the first round.

Hamilton, celebrating the third win of a troubled season for the 2008 champion, enjoyed a clean race to take the chequered flag 8.4 seconds ahead of Ferrari's Fernando Alonso with McLaren team mate Jenson Button third.

Vettel, who has already clinched this year's title, was pitched off by a puncture at turn two of the opening lap after making a clean start from his record-equalling 14th pole of the season. The 24-year-old German managed to nurse his Red Bull back to the garage on three tyres and a rim but he was forced to retire once mechanics had surveyed the damage.

The last time that Vettel failed to finish a race was 20 races ago at the 2010 South Korean Grand Prix.