Nico Rosberg wins the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg has clinched his third consecutive win of the season, after dominating the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from pole. We’ve shown that Mercedes is the best team in the world. “In hindsight once Nico had pitted I probably would have backed off and made those tyres last for a lot longer”, he said.

“This is the ideal ending to the season for me – something I hoped for so much after a tough year”. I agree, the drivers are very much part of the package to function and Lewis mentioned a couple of days ago he didn’t feel the vehicle was as good as it was before and if he says that it is something we need to consider and see whether we have data support for that or not.

“There are only two or three teams that can really afford to spend the money that’s being spent now”, said Mosley. “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.

The Mercedes team’s one-two finish carried their points total to a record 703 for the season, more than the 701 they accumulated previous year when the final race was awarded double points.

“I think in the race we could have been quite a bit closer but we had some issues at both pit stops so we lost some time and then I slowed down a bit”, Raikkonen stated.

Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel started fifteenth and fought his way up the grid to cross the finish line in fourth, behind Raikkonen. Sergio Perez and Force India were best of the rest in fifth, but the Mexican was a long way behind. At certain points, I think we were catching them and then they were pulling out but not an terrible lot in it. “I will come back next year to beat Lewis, hopefully”, said Rosberg.

“Now we can really enjoy it, but I have to take my hat off to the team, who have done an awesome job with this auto”.

The victorious German said he would not be giving a Christmas present to the world champion who lives across the corridor in Monte Carlo. In his final race for Lotus, Romain Grosjean managed ninth (the Frenchman joins America’s Haas next season) and rounding out the top ten was Red Bull man Daniil Kvyat.

He also received a 20-second time penalty for ignoring blue flags.

Marcus Ericsson, Felipe Nasr and Max Verstappen filled positions 14 through to 16. “The tyres were still fine so I honestly felt I could potentially have taken them to the end”. Alonso was given a drive-through penalty for his transgression.

Finland’s Valtteri Bottas also fell foul of the stewards when Williams released him into the path of Alonso’s team mate Jenson Button at the first pitstops, with the Finn losing half his front wing in the impact. He did not, but he finished one lap down and ahead of only the Manor pair of Will Stevens and Roberto Merhi.