F1 Notes: Vettel Wins in Abu Dhabi

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Sebastian Vettel won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday, and Mark Webber hung on for second to give Red Bull a one-two finish in the final Formula One race of the season.

Brawn GP driver Jenson Button, who had already wrapped up the drivers’ championship, was third after pushing Webber to the line. Rubens Barrichello and BMW Sauber driver Nick Heidfeld rounded out the top five at the new Yas Marina circuit.

Pole sitter Lewis Hamilton led up to the first set of pit stops, but retired soon after due to a right rear brake failure on his McLaren.

Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany steers his car during the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix at the Yas Marina racetrack in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009. (AP Photo/Gero Breloer)

“(Hamilton) had to retire and up to then it was a great race,” Vettel said. “After that I had a cushion to Mark and Jenson behind and was able to pace myself. The car was fantastic.

“It’s a perfect day, to finish the season on a high.”

Toyota driver Kamui Kobayashi, filling in for the injured Timo Glock, was sixth and earned his first F1 points, finishing ahead of teammate Jarno Trulli and Toro Rosso’s Sebastien Buemi. BMW Sauber driver Robert Kubica was eighth.

Hamilton was expected to dominate the race after a strong qualifying performance, but soon began to struggle with malfunctioning brakes and could not break away from the pursuing Red Bull drivers. Soon after the first pit stop, he was forced to retire.

“I was locking and locking and locking — it was harder than ever to drive the car,” Hamilton said. “It’s a shame as the car felt so good this last couple of days, but we haven’t had many brake problems this year, so there you go.”

Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany celebrates with his team after he won the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix at the Yas Marina racetrack in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009. (AP Photo/Gero Breloer)

Hamilton was one of only two cars not to finish the race, along with Toro Rosso’s Jaime Alguersuari after an embarrassing pit stop mishap. His crew was not out for his stop, and he mistakenly stopped at the waiting Red Bull pit crew — which has very similar colors. They waved him on and he was forced to retire soon after.

Neither McLaren nor Ferrari scored a point, meaning McLaren held on to third place in the constructors’ championship, one point ahead of the Italian team.

Heidfeld becomes emotional as BMW bows out of F1: Nick Heidfeld was overcome by emotion as he drove the final laps of Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to close out BMW’s time in Formula One.

The German carmaker has withdrawn from F1, putting the future of the remnants of the Swiss-based team in doubt. Heidfeld finished fifth to lift the team to a sixth-place finish in the constructors’ championship.

“It is a pleasing end to our last season together,” Heidfeld said. “During the last laps, I had to pull myself together in order to keep my concentration.”

To thank him for seven years of service with the team, Peter Sauber will give Heidfeld one of the team’s cars to keep as a memento.

BMW’s departure was one of several farewells at the final race of the 2009 season, the other big one Fernando Alonso from the Renault team with which he won two world championships.

Alonso, who is joining Ferrari in 2010, finished 14th in his final race with the team.

“I would like to thank the entire team for everything that we have achieved together over the years,” Alonso said. “We had some great victories and won championships together. It has been the most amazing seven years of my career and something I will never forget.”

Another long-standing servant moving on is Nico Rosberg, who finished ninth in his final race with Williams.

Rosberg’s new team has not been announced, but the German has been closely linked to Brawn GP or McLaren for next year.

“It’s been a long season and I would really like to thank all the team for their effort during the last four years,” Rosberg said. “We have had a great time together.”

Bridgestone to halt tire supply for F1: Bridgestone Corp. says it will stop supplying tires for Formula One racing in 2011.

Japan’s top tiremaker said Monday it wants to focus its resources on core tire businesses. Company spokesman Makoto Shiomi declined to say the decision was due to a prolonged global slump.

Bridgestone began supplying tires for F1 in 1997. Since 2007, the company has been a sole supplier of tires for the series. Bridgestone said it will not renew its contract that expires in late 2010.