Christian Horner says Mercedes was ‘naive’ in Abu Dhabi

As Rosberg was crowned world champion for the first time as he finished second behind Hamilton, furious Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff warned: “Anarchy does not work in any team and in any company”.

The 2016 Formula One season has come to an end, and Nico Rosberg won his maiden title with his second-place finish in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday. The Briton closing the season with his fourth straight win, and 10th overall, but it’s not enough to deny his teammate the big prize.

Even in the days before this race, Hamilton was stepping up the mind games, repeating that he thinks he has been the better driver this year and consistently bemoaning his bad luck with engine problems.

Wolff would not go that far, at least openly, but he recognised Hamilton had ignored clear top-level instructions issued by technical head Paddy Lowe to speed up.

Hamilton made a point of coming over to congratulate Rosberg and offered him a hug.

There was minimal eye contact, let alone a handshake.

There have been two other occasions where Hamilton has been accused of backing Rosberg up.

“I’d like to say a massive thank you to everyone that has helped and supported me through the years including family, friends, team members and fans and last but not least my Dad who I’m hoping is looking down on us with pride, miss you papa”. The same again at the end, pressure on from behind, Lewis driving slow in front and really, it was a tough one.

Rosberg, who needed to finish no lower than third to take the crown, held on, but said it was hard to concentrate with Sebastien Vettel close on his tail in third.

“It was tricky at the end there with Lewis playing some dirty tricks”, commented four-time champion Vettel over the radio. Lewis drove a tactical race. “Lewis was trying to back Nico up into the rest of the pack”, he told reporters later.

Keke Rosberg, Nico’s father, won the world championship in 1982 with Williams. The German driver has been competing in F1 since 2006 and his debut championship, Mercedes’ third consecutive driver’s title, was secured in his 204th race. Horner said: “I wouldn’t have expected him to do anything different”.

The moment of triumph: Nico Rosberg celebrates his first world title at the Abu Dhabi. It was created to slow Rosberg down and allow pursuing drivers Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari and Dutch teen Max Verstappen of Red Bull to catch up. His Australian team mate Daniel Ricciardo was fifth.

But after crossing the line in first place ahead of the title-winning Rosberg, a defiant and unapologetic Hamilton insisted he did nothing wrong.

He pulled off the move, exercising caution with determination. Being told it was critical to pass Verstappen, it is not a nice thing to hear.

He won on the last day of the season in 2008, beating Brazilian Felipe Massa by one point in a dramatic final race.

The Briton has also made obvious he believed he was the moral victor, if not the genuine champion, granted that he won more races and secured more pole positions. This is motor racing, it would make it the most boring sport ever if you would have corporate solution for every single situation.