Rosberg follows Hamilton home to claim maiden world title

On one occasion they asked why he was going so slowly. Executive director (technical) Paddy Lowe even got on the radio to instruct Hamilton to speed up, to which the world champion replied he was doing the only thing he could to win a fourth title.

“Hamilton is already a three times champion with nothing to lose in this race”, he said.

German driver Nico Rosberg has climbed the podium to receive a first Formula 1 world championship, and his earnings are about to get a leg-up too.

As the race progressed, Hamilton went slower and slower and the team began to worry that a one-two was at risk.

“I had a lot of problems, which is why I’m in this position, but I’m grateful for the success and ups and downs we had as a team”. I want to try to win the race tomorrow.

Hamilton is used to this kind of pressure, and knows how it feels either way.

The previous year, Hamilton lost the title by one point to Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen.

Rosberg has a 12-point lead and can afford to let Hamilton win Sunday’s day-to-night race, knowing a podium finish at Yas Marina will bring him a first Formula One championship to match Finnish father Keke’s 1982 triumph.

Hamilton offered him a hug, Rosberg accepted but it was a brief embrace, and then he carried on celebrating as he was tossed into the air by his Mercedes crew.

“He just kept on scoring when it mattered”, said team boss Toto Wolff. “It’s going to be a thrilling showdown to a fantastic season”. On lap 51, Vettel passed Verstappen for third with a bold move to increase the tension, leaving Hamilton backing Rosberg back towards the charging Ferrari, but he survived to take his title.

Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo qualified in third and starts on the second row with Raikkonen.

Rosberg took every chance to capitalise, has absolutely made the most of the superior machinery Mercedes have given both drivers, and has constantly stayed focussed on each individual race as the contest ebbed and flowed, a tactic that proved successful when he took the flag and the title in Mexico. Shortly after being given a message that he had to pass Verstappen in the next few laps, the two men almost touched as Rosberg went wheel-to-wheel with the teenager through the second chicane, with Rosberg getting a better exit out of Turn 9.

“We’ll give them a auto which has the pace, which today we were able to achieve and a strategy that works for both”.

“That was not the most enjoyable race I have ever had”, Rosberg, who revealed his parents would soon be joining him for the celebrations, said. “Lewis was just a little bit quicker and did a great job”. Apart from Button, it was also Felipe Massa’s last race of his F1 career and while we did see an wonderful farewell at the Brazilian GP for the Williams driver, the 35-year-old managed to finish ninth in his final race, passing McLaren’s Fernando Alonso who got the final points scoring position.

“It is a pretty simple discussion, you can understand the team’s perspective and understand Lewis’ perspective, and that is it”, said Rosberg.

The Brit needed both Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen to pass his team-mate in order to retain the World title.

But the 31-year-old ignored them time and time again.

Rosberg needed to overtake Verstappen, the youngest driver to win an F1 race who has earned a reputation for his risky, borderline unsafe overtaking and has upset other drivers this season. “He’s an exceptional driver, so I would prefer to have him (getting four titles) because he deserves what he gets”.