Rosberg clinches F1 world title

Nico Rosberg has won the 2016 Formula 1 World Championship after finishing second to Lewis Hamilton in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The Mercedes team twice told Lewis Hamilton to drop his tactics of backing team-mate Nico Rosberg into the clutches of Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen in a desperate bid to win the championship. But the Brit was on pole and looking to grab his fourth straight win, while also hoping the German might miss the podium, which would allow him to claim the title for the third year in a row. Lewis Hamilton insists he did nothing wrong during the closing laps in yesterday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix when he slowed the pace to make life hard for title-rival Nico Rosberg.

“He’s just an unbelievable driver and of course one of the best in history, so it’s unbelievably special to beat him because the level is so high and that makes this even more satisfying. It’s a shame that they wouldn’t but it’s quite clear their thought process and yeah I mean I don’t really have much to say”, Hamilton said, as qouted by F1’s official website.

Rosberg finished the thrilling 55-lap Grand Prix, which resembled more of a dog fight, in second place and that podium position was enough for the 31-year-old to become world champion for the first time.

“He had two choices – disappear into the distance and show he is the quickest guy on the planet irrespective of what’s happening in the back or decide the other way and bunch them up behind him”.

And let it be noted, that there were no team orders preventing Rosberg from attempting to pass Hamilton.

After the race, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff wasn’t impressed.

Rosberg is only the third German to win an F1 title, following in the footsteps of Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel. “That’s what excites me and that’s why I look forward to celebrating with all the people who have supported me”, the champion added. With three laps to go and with Vettel hunting Rosberg down, Mercedes Executive Director (Technical) Paddy Lowe instructed to Hamilton, “Lewis, this is Paddy”. “I wouldn’t have expected him to do anything different”.

“So it was only ever going to be that kind of battle between the two of them”.

Hamilton knew that for him to win the championship, Rosberg needed to finish fourth or below.

Sebastian Vettel, who almost passed Rosberg on the final lap, added fuel to the fire after he accused Hamilton of “playing dirty tricks”.

“This is 180 degrees and I am not sure yet where the needle is going to go”.

He added: “It is very nice to finish the season fifth in the championship and to have had some really good results along the way”.