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A mention in the column marked “mistakes not to make again” goes to Jaime Alguersuari, the Spanish Toro Rosso pilot, who decided to come into the pits when his car developed gear-box trouble, but his team were not ready for him. In a moment of confusion, he missed his own box and drove instead into the Red Bull pit of Vettel as the German’s startled mechanics stepped back in astonishment. The Spaniard decided not to hang around for a chat and drove straight back out before breaking down on his next lap. Luckily no one was injured.

•Tom Wheatcroft, the owner of Donington Park racing circuit who died yesterday, has been described as a legend of motor sport by Martin Whitmarsh, the McLaren team principal. He led the tributes to the 87-year-old businessman who died at his home in Arnesby, near Leicester, after a long illness. Donington Park had been due to stage next year’s British Grand Prix before the circuit’s operators failed to come up with necessary funding.

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix result

1. Sebastian Vettel (Germany) RedBull-Renault 1hr 34:03.414
2. Mark Webber (Australia) RedBull-Renault +00:17.857
3. Jenson Button (Britain) Brawn-Mercedes 00:18.467
4. Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Brawn-Mercedes 00:22.735
5. Nick Heidfeld (Germany) BMW Sauber 00:26.253
6. Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Toyota 00:28.343
7. Jarno Trulli (Italy) Toyota 00:34.366
8. Sebastien Buemi (Switzerland) Toro Rosso-Ferrari 00:41.294
9. Nico Rosberg (Germany) Williams-Toyota 00:45.941
10. Robert Kubica (Poland) BMW Sauber 00:48.180
11. Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) McLaren-Mercedes 00:52.798
12. Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Ferrari 00:54.317
13. Kazuki Nakajima (Japan) Williams-Toyota 00:59.839
14. Fernando Alonso (Spain) Renault 01:09.687
15. Vitantonio Liuzzi (Italy) Force India-Mercedes 01:34.45
16. Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy) Ferrari 1 lap
17. Adrian Sutil (Germany) Force India-Mercedes 1 lap
18. Romain Grosjean (France) Renault 1 lap

Retired: Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren-Mercedes 20 laps
Jaime Alguersuari (Spain) Toro Rosso-Ferrari 18 laps

Fastest Lap: Sebastian Vettel, 1:40.279, lap 54.

Final Drivers championship standings

1. Jenson Button (Britain) Brawn 95 points
2. Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Red Bull 84
3. Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Brawn 77
4. Mark Webber (Australia) Red Bull 69.5
5. Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 49
6. Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Ferrari 48
7. Nico Rosberg (Germany) Williams 34.5
8. Jarno Trulli (Italy) Toyota 32.5
9. Fernando Alonso (Spain) Renault 26
10. Timo Glock (Germany) Toyota 24
11. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 22
12. Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) McLaren 22
13. Nick Heidfeld (Germany) BMW Sauber 19
14. Robert Kubica (Poland) BMW Sauber 17
15. Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy) Ferrari 8 *
16. Sebastien Buemi (Switzerland) Toro Rosso 6
17. Adrian Sutil (Germany) Force India 5
18. Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Toyota 3
19. Sebastien Bourdais (France) Toro Rosso 2
20. Kazuki Nakajima (Japan) Williams 0
21. Nelson Piquet (Brazil) Renault 0
22. Vitantonio Liuzzi (Italy) Force India 0
23. Romain Grosjean (France) Renault 0
24. Jaime Alguersuari (Spain) Toro Rosso 0
25. Luca Badoer (Italy) Ferrari 0

* Fisichella scored eight points for Force India before joining Ferrari.

Constructors championships

1. Brawn - Mercedes 172 points
2. RedBull - Renault 153.5
3. McLaren - Mercedes 71
4. Ferrari 70
5. Toyota 59.5
6. BMW Sauber 36
7. Williams - Toyota 34.5
8. Renault 26
9. Force India - Mercedes 13
10. Toro Rosso - Ferrari 8