German Sebastian Vettel was crowned as the youngest drivers champion in Formula One history yesterday when he outstripped all his rivals and won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix for the Red Bull team.

At 23 years and 106 days, Sebastian Vettel took the title with a faultless drive from pole position to the chequered flag, resisting a strong challenge from Briton Lewis Hamilton of McLaren, who in 2008 had achieved the same feat at the age of 23 and 307 days.

Hamilton came home second after a long period of frustration behind Pole Robert Kubica’s Renault and was followed home by his team-mate and compatriot Jenson Button, the outgoing 2009 champion.

Pre-race series leader and two-time champion Fernando Alonso, of Ferrari, and Vettel’s Australian team-mate Mark Webber fell out of contention for the title when they emerged down the field after early pit-stops.

Understandably, an emotional Vettel wept both in his car on his slowing down lap and also on the podium as the German anthem was played.

Germany’s Nico Rosberg came home fourth for Mercedes on a day when his 41-year-old team-mate and compatriot Michael Schumacher had been forced to retire following a big accident on the opening lap.

Kubica came fifth ahead of his team-mate Russian Vitaly Petrov of Renault with Alonso back in seventh place.

Vettel ended up with 256 points to take the title ahead of Alonso on 252, Webber on 242, and Hamilton on 240.

It was a crushing win by Vettel and swept away any controversy about team orders or Alonso’s validity to be champion following the row over Ferrari’s use of team orders at the German Grand Prix.

Vettel made a clean start from his 10th pole of the season, leading away ahead of Hamilton and Button, who took advantage of a cautious start from Alonso to take third place.

There was drama almost immediately at Turn Six where Schumacher spun, under pressure from Rosberg, and was left facing the wrong way as he recovered.

Italian Vitantonio Liuzzi could do nothing to avoid him as he rounded the corner and drove into the German’s car, the impact lifting the Force India off the circuit and across Schumacher’s cockpit, narrowly missing his head.

The safety car was called for immediately and the race ran in procession for the opening five laps until it resumed for lap six with Vettel ahead of Hamilton, Button, Alonso and Webber.

The Australian gave the barriers at Turn 19 a warm kiss on lap eight, sending the sparks flying, but underlining his determination to fight to the end of the 2010 season.

The impact caused some damage and three laps later, Webber swept into the pits after complaining he was “losing the rear tyres.”

When he rejoined it was in 16th place, in heavy midfield traffic, with his prospects for glory dimmed – Alonso pitted on lap 15.

Alonso’s pit stop was seemingly calculated to make sure he could baulk Webber’s progress in a pragmatic tactical contest but it was to rebound badly.

At the front, it remained unchanged with Vettel leading, chased by Hamilton and Button in close support, but the various pit-stops behind them had left Alonso 11th and Webber 12th as they worked through the field – and both men out of the title fight in those positions.

Hamilton was locked in a frustrating battle to find a way of passing Kubica while Vettel reeled off two fastest laps in pursuit of Button, trimming his lead to 11.6 seconds.

The young German set another fastest lap on lap 34 as he cut Button’s lead to 8.4 seconds while Hamilton complained to his team that his front left tyre was badly worn.

Button pitted finally after 39 laps, giving Vettel the lead and a grip on both the race and the championship with 15 laps remaining and he never let go.

Result

1. Vettel (Red Bull) - 1:39.36.837
2. Hamilton (McLaren) - 10.162sec
3. Button (McLaren) - 11.047
4. Rosberg (Mercedes) - 30.747
5. Kubica (Renault) - 39.026
6. Petrov (Renault) - 43.520
7. Alonso (Ferrari) - 43.797
8. Webber (Red Bull) - 44.243
9. Alguersuari (Toro Rosso) - 50.201
10. Massa (Ferrari) - 50.868
11. Heidfeld (Sauber) - 51.551
12. Barrichello (Williams) - 57.686
13. Sutil (Force India) - 58.325
14. Kobayashi (Sauber) - 59.558
15. Buemi (Toro Rosso) - 1:03.178
16. Hulkenberg (Williams) - 1:04.763
17. Kovalainen (Lotus) - 1 lap
18. Di Grassi (Virgin) - 2 laps
19. Senna (Hispania) - 2 laps
20. Klien (Hispania) - 2 laps
21. Trulli (Lotus) - 4 laps

Did not finish
Schumacher (Mercedes) - lap 2
Liuzzi (Force India) - lap 2
Glock (Virgin) - lap 44

Final Standings

Drivers
1. Vettel - 256
2. Alonso - 252
3. Webber - 242
4. Hamilton - 240
5. Button - 214
6. Massa - 144
7. Rosberg - 142
8. Kubica - 136
9. Schumacher - 72
10. Barrichello - 47
11. Sutil - 47
12. Kobayashi - 32
13. Petrov - 27
14. Hulkenberg - 22
15. Liuzzi - 21
16. Buemi - 8
17. De la Rosa - 6
18. Heidfeld - 6
19. Alguersuari - 5

Constructors
1. Red Bull - 498
2. McLaren - 454
3. Ferrari - 396
4. Mercedes - 214
5. Renault - 163
6. Williams - 69
7. Force India - 68
8. Sauber - 44
9. Toro Rosso - 13

Last 15 Champions

1996: Hill – Williams
1997: Villeneuve – Williams
1998: Hakkinen – McLaren
1999: Hakkinen – McLaren
2000: Schumacher – Ferrari
2001: Schumacher – Ferrari
2002: Schumacher – Ferrari
2003: Schumacher – Ferrari
2004: Schumacher – Ferrari
2005: Alonso – Renault
2006: Alonso – Renault
2007: Raikkonen – Ferrari
2008: Hamilton – McLaren
2009: Button – Brawn
2010: Vettel – Red Bull