F1: Rosberg takes pole for Abu Dhabi GP, ahead of Hamilton

Speaking to Sky Sports F1 a little later, Rosberg said: “To finish the season in such a manner, it’s been a special end to the year – to have found more performance through the season”.

“I left the team to make the call because I didn’t know what was the right one”.

There were mixed messages after the race, with Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff saying “we gave Lewis the option to choose which tire he wanted on the vehicle at the last pit stop” but Hamilton said “it was down to the team”. “The 60,000 people that made up the seventh sell-out crowd in a row since we started in 2009, have generated an incredible atmosphere around the whole circuit”, he added. “At the moment I am quicker and I’m very pleased about that and happy to be on pole again”. “That’s what I race for, such battles, and I look forward to more next year”. My tyres were done at the end of the first stint sitting behind Nico.

But asked if he expects Hamilton to be crowned a four-time world champion next year, Stewart, speaking from the Abu Dhabi paddock, replied: “If Mercedes retain the leadership that you nearly expect from Mercedes, I’m afraid you could be finding the same thing, but don’t count out Rosberg”. The auto was stunning. “Since then I have come back stronger and I am excited about the way the end of the season went”.

The changes in the auto made after Singapore seems to have gone Rosberg’s way, but Wolff said that might not be the entire story.

Overall, the race was a pretty boring to watch. We only had a small delay in the pit stops, which dropped us off a bit and we did not manage to really challenge the Mercedes. “Only time will tell”. “I’ve got a lot of support here this weekend and that 44th win is still out there to grab, so I will be working hard for it tomorrow”.

“Since then a lot of time has been lost”. The option tyre (a super-soft tyre) had seven-eight laps, but even though the vehicle was lighter it would not have lasted until the end. “To be that far ahead, I was very chuffed with”. I don’t think it is a negative.

This was Rosberg’s 14th career victory and Mercedes’ 12th one-two of the season, a Formula One record. “The races generally have been quite good so I am just trying to figure out why this is the case in qualifying”. “Hopefully we’ll have many more good ones coming”.

For the first time in nine years in F1, Hamilton had been beaten to top spot by his team-mate three races on the trot. The rest of the race was straightforward for me, with no big dramas, because I was on my own looking after the tyres.

In the end, however, he had to settle for a distant second place in a race dominated by Rosberg from pole position.

“So whether his stress levels reduced and on an unconscious level…we have to give it a thought over the winter”.