2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

The 2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (officially: 2012 Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix) was the 18th round of the 2012 Formula One World Championship. It was held on November 4th 2012 at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. It was the fourth running of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as a round of the World Championship, and the fourth on this layout of the Yas Marina Circuit.
The action-packed race was won by driver Kimi Räikkönen, his first win since the 2009 Belgian Grand Prix. Fernando Alonso finished second, from sixth on the grid. Sebastian Vettel, who started from the pit-lane, finished third.
Lewis Hamilton, who started the race from pole position, retired from the lead with an engine malfunction. Nico Hülkenberg, Nico Rosberg, Narain Karthikeyan, Mark Webber and Romain Grosjean all retired as a result of collisions. Charles Pic also retired in the latter stages of the race.
The result shortens the Drivers' and Constructors' leads of Vettel and Red Bull to 10 and 82 points respectively, meaning that Red Bull only need five points from the to secure a third consecutive World Constructors' Title.
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==Background==
Tyres Available	Tyres Available	Tyres Available	Tyres Available
Option 	Prime 	Inter 	Wet
 	 	 	
Leading the Constructors' World Championship is , a lead which they have held since the in April. 91 points behind are . Ferrari must outscore Red Bull by at least 6 points in order to avoid handing the title to Red Bull at this event.
The lead of the Drivers' Championship is held by Sebastian Vettel, 13 points ahead of Fernando Alonso. Despite Alonso holding a 40-point lead after Hungary in July, Vettel has closed up the gap and taken the lead following 4 consecutive wins in Singapore, Japan, Korea and India. Regardless of results at this event, the title cannot be decided before the 2012 United States Grand Prix.
==Entry list==
The full entry list for the is shown below:
No. 	Driver 	Entrant 	Constructor 	Chassis 	Engine 	Model 	Tyre
1 	Sebastian Vettel 	Red Bull Racing 	 	RB8 	 	RS27-2012 	
2 	Mark Webber 	Red Bull Racing 	 	RB8 	 	RS27-2012 	
3 	Jenson Button 	Vodafone McLaren Mercedes 	 	MP4-27 	 	FO 108Z 	
4 	Lewis Hamilton 	Vodafone McLaren Mercedes 	 	MP4-27 	 	FO 108Z 	
5 	Fernando Alonso 	Scuderia Ferrari 	 	F2012 	 	056 	
6 	Felipe Massa 	Scuderia Ferrari 	 	F2012 	 	056 	
7 	Michael Schumacher 	Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team	 	W03 	 	FO 108Z 	
8 	Nico Rosberg 	Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team	 	W03 	 	FO 108Z 	
9 	Kimi Räikkönen 	Lotus F1 Team 	 	E20 	 	RS27-2012 	
10 	Romain Grosjean 	Lotus F1 Team 	 	E20 	 	RS27-2012 	
11 	Paul di Resta 	Sahara Force India F1 Team 	 	VJM05 	 	FO 108Z 	
12 	Nico Hülkenberg 	Sahara Force India F1 Team 	 	VJM05 	 	FO 108Z 	
14 	Kamui Kobayashi 	Sauber F1 Team 	 	C31 	 	056 	
15 	Sergio Pérez 	Sauber F1 Team 	 	C31 	 	056 	
16 	Daniel Ricciardo 	Scuderia Toro Rosso 	 	STR7 	 	056 	
17 	Jean-Éric Vergne 	Scuderia Toro Rosso 	 	STR7 	 	056 	
18 	Pastor Maldonado 	Williams F1 	 	FW34 	 	RS27-2012 	
19 	Bruno Senna 	Williams F1 	 	FW34 	 	RS27-2012 	
20 	Heikki Kovalainen 	Caterham F1 Team 	 	CT01 	 	RS27-2012 	
21 	Vitaly Petrov 	Caterham F1 Team 	 	CT01 	 	RS27-2012 	
22 	Pedro de la Rosa 	HRT F1 Team 	 	F112 	 	CA2012 	
23 	Narain Karthikeyan 	HRT F1 Team 	 	F112 	 	CA2012 	
24 	Timo Glock 	Marussia F1 Team 	 	MR01 	 	CA2012 	
25 	Charles Pic 	Marussia F1 Team 	 	MR01 	 	CA2012 	
Free Practice 1 only	Free Practice 1 only	Free Practice 1 only 	Free Practice 1 only	Free Practice 1 only	Free Practice 1 only	Free Practice 1 only	Free Practice 1 only
11 	Jules Bianchi 	Sahara Force India F1 Team 	 	VJM05 	 	FO 108Z 	
19 	Valtteri Bottas 	Williams F1 	 	FW34 	 	RS27-2012 	
21 	Giedo van der Garde 	Caterham F1 Team 	 	CT01 	 	RS27-2012 	
23 	Ma Qinghua 	HRT F1 Team 	 	F112 	 	CA2012 	
25 	Max Chilton 	Marussia F1 Team 	 	MR01 	 	CA2012 	
==Practice Overview==
==Qualifying==
===Q1===
===Q2===
===Q3===
===Qualifying Results===
===Grid===
Notes:
* Pedro de la Rosa failed to start the formation lap as a cord from one of his tyre blankets was caught up in the wheel. He started from the pit lane behind Sebastian Vettel. Narain Karthikeyan did not move up the grid.
† Sebastian Vettel originally qualified 3rd, but was excluded from qualifying for failing to return to the pits under the car's own power. He started from the pit lane.
==Race==
===Results===
Pos.	No.	Driver 	Constructor	Laps	Time/Retired 	Grid	Pts
1 	9 	Kimi Räikkönen 	 	55 	1:48:58.667 	4 	25
2 	5 	Fernando Alonso 	 	55 	+ 0.852 s 	6 	18
3 	1 	Sebastian Vettel 	 	55 	+ 4.163 s 	PL 	15
4 	3 	Jenson Button 	 	55 	+ 7.787 s 	5 	12
5 	18 	Pastor Maldonado 	 	55 	+ 13.007 s 	3 	10
6 	14 	Kamui Kobayashi 	 	55 	+ 20.076 s 	15 	8
7 	6 	Felipe Massa 	 	55 	+ 22.896 s 	8 	6
8 	19 	Bruno Senna 	 	55 	+ 23.542 s 	14 	4
9 	11 	Paul di Resta 	 	55 	+ 24.160 s 	12 	2
10 	16 	Daniel Ricciardo 	 	55 	+ 27.160 s 	16 	1
11 	7 	Michael Schumacher	 	55 	+ 28.075 s 	13 	
12 	17 	Jean-Éric Vergne 	 	55 	+ 34.906 s 	17 	
13 	20 	Heikki Kovalainen 	 	55 	+ 47.764 s 	18 	
14 	24 	Timo Glock 	 	55 	+ 56.473 s 	21 	
15 	15 	Sergio Pérez 	 	55 	+ 56.768 s 	11 	
16 	21 	Vitaly Petrov 	 	55 	+ 1 m 4.595 s 	20 	
17 	22 	Pedro de la Rosa 	 	55 	+ 1 m 11.778 s	PL 	
Ret 	25 	Charles Pic 	 	41 	Engine 	19 	
Ret 	10 	Romain Grosjean 	 	37 	Collision 	9 	
Ret 	2 	Mark Webber 	 	37 	Collision 	2 	
Ret 	4 	Lewis Hamilton 	 	19 	Fuel pressure 	1 	
Ret 	23 	Narain Karthikeyan	 	7 	Collision 	23 	
Ret 	8 	Nico Rosberg 	 	7 	Collision 	7 	
Ret 	12 	Nico Hülkenberg 	 	0 	Collision 	10 	
==Milestones==
* Kimi Räikkönen's 175th race (173rd start).
* Lewis Hamilton's 25th pole position.
* 75th pole position of the partnership.
==Standings after the race==
Drivers' World Championship	Drivers' World Championship	Drivers' World Championship
Pos. 	Driver 	Pts
1 	Sebastian Vettel 	255
2 	Fernando Alonso 	245
3 	Kimi Räikkönen 	198
4 	Mark Webber 	167
5 	Lewis Hamilton 	165
6 	Jenson Button 	153
7 	Felipe Massa 	95
8 	Nico Rosberg 	93
9 	Romain Grosjean 	90
10 	Sergio Pérez 	66
11 	Kamui Kobayashi 	58
12 	Nico Hülkenberg 	49
13 	Paul di Resta 	46
14 	Michael Schumacher 	43
15 	Pastor Maldonado 	43
16 	Bruno Senna 	30
17 	Jean-Éric Vergne 	12
18 	Daniel Ricciardo 	10
19 	Heikki Kovalainen 	0
20 	Vitaly Petrov 	0
21 	Timo Glock 	0
22 	Charles Pic 	0
23 	Narain Karthikeyan 	0
24 	Pedro de la Rosa 	0
25 	Jérôme d'Ambrosio 	0
Constructors' World Championship	Constructors' World Championship	Constructors' World Championship
Pos. 	Team 	Pts
1 	 	422
2 	 	340
3 	 	318
4 	 	288
5 	 	136
6 	 	122
7 	 	95
8 	 	73
9 	 	21
10 	 	0
11 	 	0
12 	 	0
==Notes==
Category:2012 Grands Prix
Category:Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Category:Grand Prix articles