Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in pictures
2 November 2009 by Keith Collantine
Sebastian Vettel chases after Lewis Hamilton at the start of the race
You could accuse the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix of being just style over substance – but the style was certainly grand.
Still when you look into the stands on some of these pictures you have to wonder why so many of the 50,000 seats they sold were empty. Here’s a gallery of spectacular pictures from the 2009 F1 season finale.
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- Start, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Start, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, 2009
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- Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Mark Webber, Red Bull, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Fernando Alonso, Romain Grosjean, Renault, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Kamui Kobayashi, Toyota, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Jarno Trulli, Toyota, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Vitantonio Liuzzi, Force India, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Jarno Trulli, Toyota, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Adrian Sutil, Force India, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Jenson Button, Brawn, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Fernando Alonso, Romain Grosjean, Renault, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Vitantonio Liuzzi, Force India, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, 2009
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- Nico Rosberg, Williams, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, 2009
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- Rubens Barrichello, Brawn, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, 2009
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- Giancarlo Fisichella, Ferrari, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Vitantonio Liuzzi, Force India, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, 2009
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- Fernando Alonso, Jaime Alguersuari, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Heikki Kovalainen, McLaren, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Kamui Kobayashi, Toyota, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Giancarlo Fisichella, Ferrari, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Robert Kubica, BMW, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, 2009
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- Kamui Kobayashi, Toyota, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Nick Heidfeld, BMW, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, 2009
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- Nick Heidfeld, BMW, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Fernando Alonso, Renault, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Jenson Button, Brawn, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Nick Heidfeld, BMW, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Kamui Kobayashi, Toyota, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Giancarlo Fisichella, Ferrari, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Adrian Sutil, Force India, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Mark Webber, Red Bull, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Jenson Button, Brawn, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Romain Grosjean, Renault, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Rubens Barrichello, Brawn, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Kamui Kobayashi, Toyota, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Adrian Sutil, Force India, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Robert Kubica, BMW, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Fernando Alonso, Renault, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Robert Kubica, BMW, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Sebastian Vettel, Mark Webber, Red Bull, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Jenson Button, Brawn, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Jenson Button, Brawn, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, Abu Dhabi, 2009
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- Sebastian Vettel, Mark Webber, Jenson Button, Abu Dhabi, 2009
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in pictures
Images (C) Ferrari spa, Brawn GP, Renault/LAT, Williams/LAT, Bridgestone, www.mclaren.com, Getty Images/Red Bull, Force India F1 Team, Toyota F1 World, BMW ag
Some beautiful pics there, lovely track.
that glowing of the net arounf the hotel made some fantastic tv images!
Great race too. Too bad Lewis had that bnack left brake problem – he would be, at least at the Podium!
Congrats to Button and Brawn again. Let’s see if next year without the 6 races in advantage and that storie about the difusers they will stay on top… I have my doubts…
wow, some very nice pictures especially the fifth one of grojean and alonso
I was going to say the same, but for different reasons, I’m afraid.
I think this picture reflects how things are going in this moment in Renault.
They are in the dark as if there was no light for anybody.
Maybe their parent company and kubica (and Glock?) will light a light for them next year, I sincerely hope so.
Awensome pictures!
Vettel shines under the Abu Dhabi lights!!! WOW!
Hmmmmm… I cannot fault this circuit for spectator amenity, driver safety, opportunity for passing, spectacular-ness, etc etc. The designers of the whole facility have done a magnificent job in bringing all of these desirable attributes together into one package. Even the day/night format was appealing. But the place leaves me cold – like after viewing the movie “Speed Racer”. I couldn’t shake the feeling of watching a street circuit race especially during the night half. The TV coverage had the look of a video game which is okay but only if you are the one doing the driving not just spectating. This kind of race has its place in F1 because it is unique and in the spirit of technical progress, but I hope it is not the template for things to come as the few remaining “traditional” circuits in Europe become finacially unviable. By all means have Abu Dhabi replace the horror of Singapore, but please keep some old school circuits in the mix or design some that deliberately capture the feel of the great circuits of the past.
I’ve been waiting for these pictures. More epicness, I see. As is my habit, I’ve got a new wallpaper – shot number eleven, of Hamilton.
Legard commented on Singapore during the broadcast. He said that they’re apparently looking at making some changes to the final sector of the circuit next year. He made his most intelligent comment of the year when he said the chicanes across the waterfront need to go. Get reid of that section that goes under the grandstand – it’s only a novelty thing, anyway – and have it straight from Piquet’s corner to the final bend, and you’ve got instant improvement right there.
Where are the yachts? The background of yachts combined with the cars racing would have made for awesome pics. Like Monaco.
Keith, just recently discovered your amazing high res collections, thankyou so much for sharing them! My work PC looks great now with a background of an airborn Timo or a sharp panning shot of a flying Redbull!!
Great pics Keith!
I just used one of Hamilton’s for my avatar
Where can i get the full picture that starts this article?
Thanks!
Sorry, didn’t link properly but the link is under the word “Thanks!”
What a surprise….lots of empty seats…and with such a rich racing heritage there…..*ahem
Very nice pics though.
Heidfeld riding off into the sunset makes me sad.I hope that is not the last we see of him.
I have to agree. I’ll take Heidfeld at USF1 in a second.
KEITH YOU SHOULD MAKE A BMW AND IN A FEW WEEKS A TOYOTA FAREWELL GALLERY
Wesley,
Is your comment about the attendance just a low blow or is it something you want to get off your chest, the race was packed…sold out, and the qualifiers where probably 90-95% full…..take a look at picture 13 and tell me the stands are empty…
As Keith posted at the top of the article:
“Still when you look into the stands on some of these pictures you have to wonder why so many of the 50,000 seats they sold were empty.”
My point is the seats were PAID FOR by corporations but not used because people there are not as fanatical about racing.