Sebastian Vettel takes the win in Abu Dhabi and 2010 Driver’s world championship

It’s been a thrill ride of an F1 season, and as expected, it came right down to the last race. To take the Driver’s title, Red Bull Racing’s Sebastian Vettel needed to win the race and have his rivals lose out on vital points. He did just that on Sunday, driving a flawless race from pole position as Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso and Red Bull’s Mark Weber lost out on vital points.

Alonso started from third, and that position would have been enough to give him a third driver’s title. But during the race, the team made a crucial call to pit him right after Webber made his pit stop. He then lost track position and ended up for the rest of the race behind the Renault of Vitaly Petrov. Webber came in eighth place, never threatening to overtake Alonso, whom he slotted behind the round of pit stops.

Renault chalks up its eighth constructor’s title as engine supplier and sixth driver’s title. Vettel becomes only the second German to win the driver’s crown.

This means that we will have five world champions on the grid next year, and perhaps six if Kimi Raikkonen can be persuaded to give up his WRC drive.