F1: Sebastian Vettel wins Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
(CNN) -- Whether you like him or not, or think that his dominance is bad for Formula One, there's no denying that Sebastian Vettel is simply unstoppable this season.
Even his teammate Mark
Webber, with whom the German's relations have never been warm, admits
that Vettel is "in another category."
The four-time world
champion won by more than 30 seconds in Abu Dhabi, having started
Sunday's race second on the grid behind his veteran Red Bull colleague.
While Webber bounced back
from yet another poor start to ensure a 15th 1-2 for the team -- he has
only won once from nine poles -- Vettel motored clear once again while
his rivals scrapped for minor placings.
It was the 26-year-old's seventh successive win, matching his personal best of 11 victories in a season.
With two races left on
the calendar, he can match Alberto Ascari's record of nine in a row in
1952-53 and Michael Schumacher's 2004 feat of 13 in one season.
"The car was absolutely
brilliant. There is not much more to say. I was flying at stages -- at
least it felt like it -- and there were some massive gaps, which was a
big surprise," Vettel said.
Vettel has been booed on
the podium several times this year -- no doubt in part due to the
Malaysia incident when he ignored team orders and passed Webber for
victory -- but he celebrated at Yas Marina Sunday as he did in India
last weekend on clinching a fourth straight title, with wheelspins.
Red Bull paid the first
fine, but Vettel -- who earns a reported $16 million yearly salary --
will have to take this one after the 37th victory of his young career.
"I think Sebastian can pay the fine this week," team principal Christian Horner said. "That was a champion's drive."
Webber, who is quitting
F1 at the end of this season, could only pay tribute after being forced
to settle for second -- as he did in Japan last month after starting on
pole.
"The start wasn't
great," said the 37-year-old, who held off Mercedes' third-placed Nico
Rosberg and Lotus' Romain Grosjean in fourth.
"Nico got an
unbelievable start and Seb's was a bit better than mine. On the first
stint we were not strong enough on the soft tires.
"After that the race
went pretty well for me but Seb was gone -- he was in another category
up front. I had a nice little battle with Nico for second.
"I think he (Vettel) is
in a sweet spot, for sure. In the end, I did my best today and this was
my overall personal best around here."
Mercedes stayed second ahead of Ferrari in the constructors' standings as 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton was seventh.
Two-time world champion
Fernando Alonso remained second in the drivers' championship behind
Vettel after coming home fifth, working his way up from 10th at the
start, while teammate Felipe Massa was eighth.
Force India had both
drivers in the points as Paul di Resta was sixth and Adrian Sutil 10th,
while McLaren's Sergio Perez was ninth as teammate Jenson Button paid
the price for another early scrape and ended up 12th.
Button's fellow former
titleholder Kimi Raikkonen had even worse day. Excluded from qualifying
--despite setting the fifth quickest time -- after his Lotus failed a
technical test on Saturday, the Finn didn't make it past the first lap.
While Vettel began from
the pit lane in similar circumstances last year to finish third,
Raikkonen -- who is joining Ferrari next season after a pay dispute with
Lotus -- started with the tailenders and a ding with a Caterham ended
his hopes of repeating his 2012 success in the race.
"We didn't touch hard, but I think the angle was very unlucky and it broke the steering," Raikkonen said.
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