Rosberg wins F1 title as Hamilton wins in Abu Dhabi GP

ABU DHABI, U.A.E. -With Lewis Hamilton slowing him down on objective, two other drivers hard on his tail and the title on the line, Nico Rosberg held his nerve to win the Formula One championship for the first time on Sunday. Rosberg went into the race only needing to finish third, to take home the title, in the event that Hamilton won the race.

“I am very proud to have done the same feat as my dad achieved, he is going to be coming in half an hour I think”, said Rosberg, whose father was not at the circuit and has been present for only his home Monaco Grand Prix this year.

Put to him that he could have let Vettel through at the end and still be champion, Rosberg added: “Crazy Max was after that so I couldn’t let anybody past!” “That is the rules”.

The situation prompted his team to order him to speed up as he continued to back up Rosberg towards the onrushing Sebastian Vettel.

“Everything is possible. Anarchy does not work in any team and in any company”. I couldn’t try anything really stupid because Lewis was just ahead so if I really dived around the inside or outside I could have hit him.

“This is how it’s happened at Red Bull and Ferrari many years ago, as well as how it may have happened at other teams, so I’m not sure we are in the credit-taking business because it needs headlines, but I think we have coped quite well with that situation the last few years”.

“It was pretty chilled at the end”. Daniel was straightforward to pass, but when I pulled up behind Max the problem is you have vehicle after auto after vehicle and then you start to slide and my tyres got worse.

“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”.

Hamilton had left his disappointment within minutes of the race and joked during one television interview that he was looking forward to being called in “to the headmaster’s office”. “Or Vettel, he is the teammate of (Kimi) Raikkonen”, Keke Rosberg said. He finished the year with four consecutive wins from pole.

He had seemed to be annoyed during the race when instructed to drive faster. Lewis replied – I’m in the lead right now.

Hamilton took to Instagram to thank his team, despite failing to win a third successive title. The counter argument was that Rosberg would be perfectly happy to keep Hamilton where he could see him, and shadow the Brit to the chequered flag.

Hamilton started the F1 2016 season as an overall favourite, after winning the world championship in 2014 and 2015.

Hamilton shook hands with Rosberg, who dethroned him as the F1 champion, and they hugged on the podium. One of the most contentious teammate battles in Formula 1 history-although more like Sebastien Vettel vs Mark Webber than Alain Prost vs Ayrton Senna-gave us 10 laps that will go down in F1 history.

“Big congratulations to Nico, good job man”, said Hamilton.