Sebastien Vettel wins inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Sebastien Vettel on his way to winning the first Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

The 2009 Formula One season came to an end on Sunday in Abu Dhabi, which is part of the United Arab Emirates. This is a brand new facility. In fact, the land on which it sits was reclaimed from the surrounding sea in a massive construction effort that staggers the imgaination. Where once was nothing but water, there is now a new international community with every amenity known to mankind and a few more thrown in for good measure. 

The track itself was designed by Hermann Tilke and Associates, the firm that has done about 8 new grand prix tracks around the world in the last 10 years. Tilke designs feature tight, twisting sections that often have no particular rhyme nor reason to them. Among the drivers, they are often referred to as "Mickey Mouse tracks", which quite likely is not meant as a compliment to Mr. Tilke and his colleagues.

But this track adds something a little different - the longest straightaway in all of grand prix racing at just over 3/4 of a mile. This presents the teams with difficult choices, as the car set-up that maximizes speed down the straight also limits speeds in the twisty bits and vice versa. The race also starts in late afternoon and finishes after dark for reasons that no one seems able to explain, except to say that it is "different".

The world driving championship and the annual manufacturer's championship were both settled two weeks ago in Brazil, so there was little to fight for in Sunday's race except second place among the drivers and third place among the car manufacturers. Nevertheless, former world champion Lewis Hamilton (right) provided some excitement in qualifying on Saturday by putting his McLaren Mercedes on the pole by a full 0.6 of a second. That is a huge margin in a sport where the time difference between competitors is often measured in thousandths of a second. Sebastien Vettel of Red Bull came second in qualifying with his teammate, Mark Webber, third.

McLaren Mercedes' year started disasterously. They languished near the back of the field for the first half dozen races, but then found there usual pace at the end of the season, leaving them were locked in a virtual dead heat with their perenial rivals at Ferrari for third place in the manufacturer's competition. With their man starting first and the fastest Ferrari back in 11th spot, outscoring Ferrari at this race seemed an easy task. But Hamilton retired after 18 laps with failing brakes, which left Vettel to cruise home in first place. He drove a superb race and is highly regarded as a future world champion, perhaps as early as next season. Ultimately, McLaren took third spot in the manufacturer's championship by one point.

Mark Webber, running in second position, and Jenson Button, running  in third, provided a little drama in the last few laps, but in the end, Button was unable or unwilling to force his way past and the finishing order remained Vettel, Webber, Button. And so an envent that held the promise of some great racing turned into yet another parade of fabulously expensive race cars that cannot generate enough on-track interest to keep those in the stands and those watching at home from dozing off now and again during the race. How sad.

If the racing was a trifle dull, the setting in Abu Dhabi was electrifying. It truly is a superb location with world class amenities, including the world's largest indoor theme part devoted excusively to Ferrari. What does one do in a Ferrari theme park? I have no idea. Perhaps I need to go there to find out for myself? I'll send a memo to my editor in the morning.

Photos by Luca Bruno, Associated Press