2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
The 2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (formally the 2012 Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix) was a Formula One motor race held on 4 November 2012 at the Yas Marina Circuit, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. It was the eighteenth round of the 2012 Formula One season and the fourth Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The 55-lap race was won by Lotus driver Kimi Räikkönen after starting from fourth position. Fernando Alonso finished second in a Ferrari with his championship rival Sebastian Vettel third for Red Bull, having started from the pit lane.
| 2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Race 18 of 20 in the 2012 Formula One World Championship
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| Race details | |||||
| Date | 4 November 2012 | ||||
| Official name | 2012 Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix | ||||
| Location |
Yas Marina Circuit Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | ||||
| Course | Permanent racing facility | ||||
| Course length | 5.554 km (3.451 miles) | ||||
| Distance | 55 laps, 305.355 km (189.739 miles) | ||||
| Weather |
Dry Air Temp 29 °C (84 °F) Track Temp 34 °C (93 °F) dropping to 29 °C (84 °F) | ||||
| Pole position | |||||
| Driver |
| McLaren-Mercedes | |||
| Time | 1:40.630 | ||||
| Fastest lap | |||||
| Driver | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull-Renault | |||
| Time | 1:43.964 on lap 54 | ||||
| Podium | |||||
| First | Lotus-Renault | ||||
| Second | Ferrari | ||||
| Third | Red Bull-Renault | ||||
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Lap leaders | |||||
The victory was Räikkönen's first of the season, his first since he returned to Formula One at the start of the year, and his first since 2009. It was the first time a Lotus had won a race since Ayrton Senna's victory in Detroit in 1987. Alonso's second place allowed him to narrow the gap to Vettel in the Drivers' Championship to ten points. Räikkönen's radio communications during the race were widely reported, particularly his comment to his engineer on lap 23: “Just leave me alone, I know what I'm doing.”