Button retires from final grand prix in Abu Dhabi

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Jenson Button's F1 career ended in retirement after a suspension failure early in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The 2009 world champion - taking part in what he expects to be his last grand prix - was running in ninth place when he hit the kerb hard on the inside of Turn 8, damaging his front right suspension. Button then went off at Turn 10 as he could not turn right properly, and radioed the team to say he had a failure.

Button limped back to the pits and parked his car in front of the McLaren garage before standing on the front of it and waving to the crowd. The main grandstand at the Yas Marina Circuit gave Button a standing ovation before he walked into the garage to embrace his team.

While he will not drive for McLaren next season as he takes a sabbatical from racing in F1, Button admitted on Saturday evening that he feared he had made his decision to quit "way too soon" having felt his mindset change since the announcement in August.

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