Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen recorded his first Grand Prix win since making a return to Formula One, winning the Abu Dhabi GP in style, with Fernando Alonso taking second and Sebastian Vettel finishing a brilliant third after starting the race from the pit lane.
With just two races remaining, Red Bull's Vettel (255) holds a ten point lead over Ferrari's Alonso (245) in the drivers' championship, with Raikkonen third on 198 points.
"I'm very happy for the team, and myself, but mainly for the all the crew here and everyone at Enstone," Raikkonen said after the victory. "It's been a hard season and I feel this win is well deserved for everyone and just what we need.
"It's also something great for all the fans who have continued to support me and the team. We've not had the easiest time in the last few races. Hopefully this gives everyone more belief, not just for everyone working at the track and at the factory, but for everyone behind the scenes running the team.
"I hope this can turn around the tables and give us many more good races and wins -- if not this year, then next year."
Asked where the win stacked up in his career, Raikkonen was his usual self. "To be honest it's just another win on the list for me. It's great of course, because it's been a few years, but the wins prior to this one were very similar -- we didn't have the best car, but we fought and still won.
"It's great to win now, so people will stop asking me if I can win or not, and at least it makes it a bit clearer."
Vettel was ecstatic, after the safety car, brilliant strategy and great driving helped the German to an improbable third position. "I don't think I zoomed through the field just one time -- I think I did it twice," the defending champion said. "Believe me, it is quite a piece of work to make your way up one time, but two times is indeed quite something.
"Somehow it was fun and the result is pleasing. It was a conciliatory ending to a tumultuous day. Sure the safety car played to my advantage. In that phase I was on the soft tyres and even a win didn't look out of reach.
"We started the race with the clear aim of finishing high up and bagging as many points as possible and it worked. I am pretty satisfied."
Alonso, again, got every inch out of his Ferrari car to garner second place, and the Spaniard was reasonably happy with the result, even if he might have liked to see Vettel finish a lot farther. "I'm very happy, I think we were not super competitive this weekend," Alonso said. "We started seventh, sixth at the end with Sebastian's penalty so we have to fight all through the race, the first laps to do some good overtaking and then a very good strategy that gave us the ability to fight at the end for the victory.
"In the last couple of laps Kimi was a little bit slower, so we attack. But second, I think, was the maximum today, starting sixth, so a perfect Sunday again for us and we kept fighting until the end."
