Hamilton’s heartache as Rosberg wins Formula One title

But despite Rosberg and his team’s concerns however, he held off both Vettel and Verstappen to finish in second place to win the title. However, for Nico Rosberg the focus was not winning today’s race, but securing the points required to walk away with the World Championship.

A race that promised a duel in the desert between the Mercedes teammates lived up to it as the closing stages saw Hamilton do all in his power to push the German into the flock of Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari and Max Verstappen of Red Bull who were gaining aggressively.

Mercedes told Rosberg he needed to pass Verstappen because the Dutchman was driving purposefully slow, setting up a tense couple of moments as the two went wheel-to-wheel with the Red Bull holding firm.

Rosberg and his dad Keke become the second father and son duo to have each claimed F1 World Championship crowns, after Graham and Damon Hill.

Ricciardo, who will start the race on the marginally softer “super-soft” tyres instead of the “ultras” chosen by most of his rivals, said: “We’ve got to try something”. Can’t believe it’s over.

“I don’t think I did anything risky, I don’t think I did anything unfair”, said Hamilton.

Rosberg said it was a frightful feeling out there and he knew one mistake would have cost him the title. The fact that Hamilton has won 10 races to Rosberg’s nine this year will be of no consolation to him.

The German driver is now a champion in his own right after clinching his first title on Sunday to match his father’s achievement from 1982.

“You don’t win the championship by luck so I think Nico won the championship today and he is a deserved champion”, he said.

Hamilton disobeyed team orders to speed up towards the end of the race, even one that came from Mercedes’ executive director Paddy Lowe.

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain steers his vehicle during the Emirates Formula One Grand Prix … “World champion” when he crossed the line. It is my childhood dream to win the world championship, and I have done that.

First Daniil Kvyat was forced to stop his vehicle by the side of the track, with the Russian then borrowing a bicycle to make his way back to the paddock.

While Hamilton has suffered a variety of mechanical failures, Rosberg’s only problem was at the British Grand Prix where a gearbox issue forced him to finish in third rather than second.

He then grabbed Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone and lifted him into the air. “It’s a great feeling to win a world championship and I look forward to fighting with him next year”.

“Congratulations to Nico, great drive!” he said. “Psychologically, it’s very hard to manage that, especially when you fight against Lewis”, Prost said.

Sebastian Vettel finished just +0.404s behind Rosberg but ran out of laps to make the move, whilst Max Verstappen ended up fourth despite running down in last place on the opening lap following a clash.

“Nico defended well and closed the inside”, said Vettel, who made a point of praising Rosberg as a worthy champion at the post-race news conference.

Are you happy that Rosberg won or disappointed that Hamilton didn’t?