Podium bonus delights Button

Abu Dhabi: Though pleased with the "bonus" of a podium in the season's finale at the Yas Marina Circuit last night, 2009 World Formula One champion Jenson Button was hoping he could have climbed one step higher.

"This race was a bonus for me really. I got the championship in Brazil and this race was as good as we could have expected it to be. I am disappointed because I could not be second ahead of Mark [Webber]," Button told media after his third place.

"But I am really happy with the way we have performed as a team throughout the season. We should be proud of what we have achieved all through. Now I don't want to think too far ahead, but just relax and enjoy this moment," Button added.

Tyre trouble

The new world champion thought that the Bridgestone Prime tyre did not work too well for him and that may have undone some of the hard work. "We have been running through the practices thinking the Prime is a better tyre. It was the best for qualifying, but in the race I was really struggling with it. I was suffering and at one stage, Rubens [Barrichello] was right behind me," Button rued.

"But after the second pit stop, things got better," he said.

Despite winning the final race of the season ahead of teammate Webber, Red Bull Racing's German driver Vettel was in awe of what 2008 champion Lewis Hamilton is capable of. "I am very proud to have finished first here. I started during the day and finished in the night and to do this is simply the best as we have had a strong package," Vettel said.

Though off to a reasonably good start, Vettel was amazed with what Hamilton showed till his retirement from the race on the 20th lap. "I was good enough to catch Lewis. But it was quite shocking to see how much he is worth. It's not easy to follow another car and it's not as if you are in clean air following a car," Vettel said.

"We were fast, but not good enough to out-accelerate Lewis. I was very close to him and that surprised me a bit, but not for long. And then going on the long straight Lewis pushed a button and he disappeared in the distance," Vettel added.