I'm sure many of you were glued to your TV sets to watch the final Formula 1 race of 2010. Going into the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, an unprecedented four drivers were in contention with the championship going right down to the wire.
And it was Sebastian Vettel who took the chequered flag, becoming the youngest ever driver to win the Formula 1 World Championship!
Going into the final weekend, all eyes were on championship leader Fernando Alonso and Australian Mark Webber, who had relinquished the championship lead after crashing in Korea.
Both Lewis Hamilton of McLaren and Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel were in mathematical contention, although they'd need a miracle to leap frog Alonso and Webber…
Before the race there was plenty of talk about whether Vettel would be willing to play a supporting role to team mate Webber.
However it proved an unnecessary question. Having qualified on pole, Vettel led from the start, narrowly keeping Hamilton at bay going into the first corner. For Alonso and Webber however, things would take a turn for the worse.
Tires would prove the deciding factor. The pivotal moment came when Vettel (above) was able to manage his 'Option' tires, whereas team-mate Webber pitted early because the rears were graining heavily. Alonso followed suit and pitted as well, a deliberate move so he would stay in front of his nearest championship rival. And while Alonso did indeed manage to emerge in front of Webber, it presented Vettel with the chance to build a healthy margin. With Alonso and Webber unable to overtake Renault's Petrov, Vettel would end up with enough points (four to be exact) to take the title.
To the victor go the spoils. In case you were wondering why there wasn't much champagne spray during the podium presentation, that's because it wasn't champagne. Alcohol isn't allowed in Abu Dhabi, so the top three were instead given bottles of Waard, a traditional non-alcoholic drink.
Red Bull Racing took a clean sweep of both the Constructor's and Drivers' World Championships.
Whether you're a Vettel fan or not, it's impossible to deny that at only 23 years of age he has the Formula 1 world at his feet. But will he be able to back it up in 2011? Or will Ferrari give Alonso and Massa a more competitive car? Perhaps it'll be a battle between Hamilton and Button. Or maybe it'll be veteran Mark Webber who will come out on top. With a host of changes coming next season (including new aero regulations, KERS and a switch from Bridgestone to Pirelli tires), it's really anyone's guess. One thing's for sure however; we're already counting down the days until the opening race. Bring on March 13!
- Charles Kha
Photos copyright Getty Images/Red Bull Photofiles