Abu Dhabi, (AFP) – Britain’s Lewis Hamilton, in a McLaren, won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday ahead of Spain’s Fernando Alonso in a Ferrari and Jenson Button of Britain in a McLaren.

The penultimate race of the 2011 season was marked by the retirement of world champion Sebastian Vettel shortly after the start when the right rear tyre of his Red Bull punctured on the second turn.

That allowed 2008 world champion Hamilton to take the lead with team-mate Jenson Button in second, but Button was soon overtaken by former world champion Alonso.