Abu Dhabi GP Race: Disappointing finish to 2009 for Williams

The AT&T Williams team would prepare for the final race of the 2009 season, the fifty five lap Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Nico Rosberg and Kazuki Nakajima would start the race from ninth and thirteenth positions. Kazuki had originally qualified fourteenth but Kovalainen would take a grid penalty seeing Kazuki move up one place. Nico was one of the heaviest in the top ten in regard to fuel load while and Kazuki was one of the heaviest. For Nico it would be his last race with Williams and it was fairly certain that it would be the same for Kazuki. With the cars on the grid the sun would start to set and the field would move off on their parade lap.

As far as tyres were concerned the bulk of the field were all on the harder tyre for the start of the race. Only Fisichella was on the softer tyre. All the track lights were on already to ensure a smooth transition as it became dark. With the start of the race it would be Hamilton leading from Vettel, Webber, Barrichello, and Button. Trulli was sixth from Kubica and Heidfeld. Kubica would pass Trulli for sixth while Nico was in ninth and Kazuki fourteenth as they completed lap one.

Button had been able to pass Barrichello for fourth but back at the front Hamilton was fastest on lap two with a 1m:43.788. Kubica was now attacking Barrichello for fifth while Button was running close behind Webber. Lap three and a 1m:42.715 from Hamilton while replays show Barrichello's front wing making contact with the left rear tyre of Webber as the Red Bull moved across the track and into front of the Brawn. Nico was still in ninth some 1.1 seconds behind Heidfeld. Lap four and Hamilton was again fastest with a 1m:42.136 to now be 1.3 seconds ahead of Vettel. Vettel was running a heavier fuel load so his pace was quite respectable. Lap six and a new fastest lap of 1m:41.277 from Hamilton but on lap seven Webber would respond with a 1m:41.025 to be fastest while Vettel had closed a few tenths to Hamilton.

Lap nine and another fastest lap from Hamilton with his lead now 1.5 seconds from Vettel. Webber was third and would set another fastest lap on lap nine with a 1m:40.883, while behind him it was Button, Barrichello, Kubica, Trulli, Heidfeld, Nico, and Buemi in tenth. Lap ten and Hamilton was now 1.7 seconds ahead of Vettel as he set another fastest lap on lap ten with a 1m:40.769. With eleven laps complete Hamilton had lost some time after running wide and in the process seeing Vettel now 0.9 seconds behind. It was very likely that Vettel would pass Hamilton in the first round of pit stops. Hamilton was under pressure locking front wheels as he tried to stay in front of Vettel. Nico was still in ninth and Kazuki fourteenth, both drivers not making any real impact on the race.

Lap fourteen and Webber was again fastest with a 1m:40.571 with Webber now just 1.4 seconds behind Vettel. Lap sixteen and Hamilton was again fastest with a 1m:40.367 as Barrichello pitted from fifth. He was joined by Kubica with both drivers staying on the medium tyre. Lap eighteen and Hamilton would pit joined by Button. Both would continue on the harder tyre while Button got into a fight with Kobayashi with the Toyota driver getting past Button at the end of the main straight. Webber, Trulli, Nico, and Buemi would all pit on lap nineteen. Vettel would pit on lap twenty joined by Heidfeld. Vettel would continue on the harder tyre and would come back out in front of Hamilton. Hamilton was told that he had a rear brake problem and on lap twenty one we would see Hamilton pit and was pushed into his garage and into retirement.

Vettel was now leading from Webber by six seconds with Kobayashi third followed by Button, Barrichello, Raikkonen, Kovalainen, Heidfeld, Trulli, and Kubica. Nico and Kazuki were now in eleventh and twelfth, with Kazuki yet to pit. Lap twenty six and Vettel was now 8.9 seconds in front of Webber. Kobayashi was still third but yet to make his first stop. Button was fourth from Barrichello with one stoppers Raikkonen and Kovalainen sixth and seventh. Raikkonen would pit on lap thirty taking on the softer tyre for his run to the flag. Kobayashi would pit on lap thirty one for his only stop. He would take on the softer tyre coming back out behind Buemi in eleventh. Kovalainen would pit on lap thirty two taking on the softer tyre on which he would finish the race.

Kazuki would finally pit on lap thirty three also taking on the softer tyre as he was one stopping. Vettel was now leading by 10.1 seconds from Webber, Button, Barrichello, Heidfeld, Trulli, Kubica, and Nico in eighth. If the BMW's continued to be in their points scoring positions they will see BMW move ahead of Williams to take sixth in the constructors championship. Alonso would pass Kobayashi for tenth and would then pit taking his one stop returning on the softer tyre. Lap thirty seven and Nico was in eighth and Kazuki thirteenth while at the front Vettel was now leading by 10.4 seconds from Webber, Button, Barrichello, Heidfeld, Trulli, Kubica, and Nico.

Nico would pit on lap thirty nine taking on the softer tyre having made his final stop. Lap forty and Kubica would pit from seventh for his last stop. He would return in sixth while Webber would also pit followed by both Barrichello and Heidfeld also coming in returning in fifth and sixth. Vettel would also make his final stop while Kubica would spin trying to pass Buemi losing his place to Nico with Nico now in ninth. Kazuki was in thirteenth while Trulli and Button would take their second stops. With the end of the final stops Vettel would still be leading from Webber by 16.6 seconds. Button was third from Barrichello, Heidfeld, Kobayashi, Trulli, Buemi, and Nico in ninth. Kazuki was still in thirteenth with seven laps remaining.

Button was closing in onto Webber and after lap forty nine the gap between Weber and Button was 1.3 seconds. Lap fifty and the gap was now 1.1 seconds and on the next lap it was down to 0.7 seconds. Of the top ten this was the only real fight going on as the race came to its conclusion with four laps remaining. Three laps remaining and Webber seemed to have Button covered. Webber was pushing going fastest in sector one but despite this Button was able to close right in onto Webber. Vettel was on the last lap and had set the fastest lap of the race on lap fifty four with a 1m:40.279. Vettel would cross the line to win in Abu Dhabi and Webber would come home second despite some attacking moves from Button on the last lap. Button was third from Barrichello, Heidfeld, Kobayashi, Trulli, and the last point went to Buemi.

For the AT&T Williams team their drivers would finish in ninth and thirteenth seeing neither driver score any points and with Heidfeld's fifth it would see BMW take sixth from Williams in the Constructors championship. Kazuki would not get that point and would finish 2009 with zero points against his name.

Pos  Driver  	   Team		  	      Time
 1.  Vettel        Red Bull-Renault      (B)  1h34:03.314
 2.  Webber        Red Bull-Renault      (B)  +    17.857
 3.  Button        Brawn-Mercedes        (B)  +    18.467
 4.  Barrichello   Brawn-Mercedes        (B)  +    22.735
 5.  Heidfeld      BMW Sauber            (B)  +    26.253
 6.  Kobayashi     Toyota                (B)  +    28.343
 7.  Trulli        Toyota                (B)  +    34.366
 8.  Buemi         Toro Rosso-Ferrari    (B)  +    41.294
 9.  Rosberg       AT&T Williams-Toyota  (B)  +    45.941
10.  Kubica        BMW Sauber            (B)  +    48.180
11.  Kovalainen    McLaren-Mercedes      (B)  +    52.798
12.  Raikkonen     Ferrari               (B)  +    54.317
13.  Nakajima      AT&T Williams-Toyota  (B)  +    59.839
14.  Alonso        Renault               (B)  +  1:09.687
15.  Liuzzi        Force India-Mercedes  (B)  +  1:34.450
16.  Grosjean      Renault               (B)  +     1 lap
17.  Fisichella    Ferrari               (B)  +     1 lap
18.  Sutil         Force India-Mercedes  (B)  +     1 lap

Fastest lap: Vettel, 1:40.279

Not classified/retirements:

Driver        Team                      On lap
Hamilton      McLaren-Mercedes      (B)    21
Alguersuari   Toro Rosso-Ferrari    (B)    19