A delighted Lewis Hamilton produced a near-flawless performance yesterday and then dedicated his spectacular victory in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to his mother on her birthday.

Hamilton, recovered from the worst lows of a rollercoaster year, took full advantage of the early retirement of Sebastian Vettel to win with comfortable aplomb.

Driving his McLaren with measured assurance and great speed, the 26-year-old Englishman dominated from the second corner of the opening lap to the finish as he claimed his third win of a troubled season and 17th of his career.

Afterwards, he dedicated his victory to his mother Carmen who had flown to Abu Dhabi to support her son and celebrate her birthday.

It was his first win in eight races and Vettel’s first absence from the points this year. It was the first time in 19 races that a Red Bull driver had not been on the podium.

“It’s my mum’s birthday this weekend,” he said.

“And it’s great to be able to win while she is here. I feel fantastic. It’s one of my best races. I said that to myself as I slowed down.”

Hamilton started second, but took the lead within a few hundred metres when champion Vettel’s Red Bull suffered a puncture to his right-rear tyre and forced him to swerve off the Yas Marina circuit.

Hamilton streaked by and took a lead he relinquished only twice briefly during the pit-stops as he delivered one of the most accomplished performances of his 89 races in Formula One. It also banished his self-confessed misery at feeling trapped “in a dark place” after splitting with his long-term girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger last month.

Fernando Alonso came home second for Ferrari, wiping away some of the memories of a nightmare race in 2010 when his title challenge was wrecked by strategic mistakes.

Jenson Button, in the second McLaren, fought through to finish third ahead of Vettel’s Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber and fifth-placed Felipe Massa in the second Ferrari.

Starting from a record-equalling 14th pole position of the season, Vettel made a clean start when the lights went out and pulled clear of Hamilton and into the lead. The field behind him rushed unscathed into racing order behind him.

Having won both previous Grands Prix held at the Yas Marina circuit, it looked like business as usual for the 24-year-old German, but only for a few hundred metres as a puncture pitched him out of control and off the circuit as he turned into Turn Two.

The right rear tyre of Vettel’s Red Bull machine deflated rapidly and, although he was able to recover and nurse the car back to the pits, it signalled the end and his first retirement in more than a year since the Korean Grand Prix of 2010.

Abu Dhabi race result

1. Lewis Hamilton (GBR) McLaren - 1hr 37min 11.886sec
2. Fernando Alonso (ESP) Ferrari at 8.457sec
3. Jenson Button (GBR) McLaren - 25.881
4. Mark Webber (AUS) Red Bull - 35.784
5. Felipe Massa (BRA) Ferrari - 50.578
6. Nico Rosberg (GER) Mercedes GP - 52.317
7. Michael Schumacher (GER) Mercedes GP - 1min 15.964
8. Adrian Sutil (GER) Force India - 1:17.122
9. Paul di Resta (GBR) Force India - 1:41.087
10. Kamui Kobayashi (JPN) Sauber at one lap
11. Sergio Perez (MEX) Sauber - 1 lap
12. Rubens Barrichello (BRA) Williams F1 - 1 lap
13. Vitaly Petrov (RUS) Lotus-Renault - 1 lap
14. Pastor Maldonado (VEN) Williams F1 - 1 lap
15. Jaime Alguersuari (ESP) Toro Rosso - 1 lap
16. Bruno Senna (BRA) Lotus-Renault - 1 lap
17. Heikki Kovalainen (FIN) Lotus - 1 lap
18. Jarno Trulli (ITA) Lotus - 2 laps
19. Timo Glock (GER) Virgin Racing - 2 laps
20. Vitantonio Liuzzi (ITA) Hispania - 2 laps

Did not finish
Sebastian Vettel (GER) Red Bull - 2nd lap
Jerome d’Ambrosio (BEL) Virgin Racing - 19th lap
Sebastien Buemi (SUI) Toro Rosso - 20th lap
Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) Hispania - 49th lap

Fastest lap: Mark Webber – 1:42.612.
Next race: Brazil GP, November 27.

Overall standings

Drivers
1. Vettel 374, 2. Button 255, 3. Alonso 245, 4. Webber 233, 5. Hamilton 227, 6. Massa 108, 7. Rosberg 83, 8. Schumacher 76, 9. Petrov 36, 10. Heidfeld 34, 11. Sutil 34, 12. Kobayashi 28, 13. Alguersuari 26, 14. Di Resta 23, 15. Buemi 15, 16. Perez 14, 17. Barrichello 4, 18. Senna 2, 19. Maldonado 1.

Constructors
1. Red Bull 607, 2. McLaren 482, 3. Ferrari 353, 4. Mercedes GP 159, 5. Lotus-Renault 72, 6. Force India 57, 7. Sauber 42, 8. Toro Rosso 41, 9. Williams F1 5.