Stewart: Hamilton is a little ballerina

On whether Rosberg was a worthy champion, Villeneuve reckoned: “Definitely, and Lewis made sure that he was worthy”.

“Would he turn completely and try to drive me off the track?”

Mercedes F1 driver Lewis Hamilton walks to the garage before the third practice session of the Russian Grand Prix in Sochi April 30, 2016.

“Second in the constructors, won two grands prix, in Barcelona, Max the youngest ever victor in F1, Daniel achieving a one-two finish in Malaysia plus 14 other podiums, it’s been an incredible year for us”, added Horner.

Hamilton took to the wheel of the modified 2015 W06 at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina circuit on Tuesday and was expected to complete the whole day.

When asked if he will change numbers after winning the title in Abu Dhabi, Rosberg said: “I have no idea”.

Meanwhile, Mercedes says boss Toto Wolff is still deciding how to proceed in the wake of Hamilton’s controversial driving in Abu Dhabi, having admitted that penalties against the Briton are possible.

In October, after a Japanese Grand Prix during which he snubbed the media following criticism for playing around with Snapchat during a news conference, he was ruled out of a test in Barcelona due to a sore foot.

Another former driver who backed Hamilton was Gerhard Berger, even though the famous Austrian actually negotiated Nico Rosberg’s new contract earlier this year. “It will now take some time for him to process this”.

“We’re rivals. But the fact we’ve known each other since childhood helps in the hard periods”, Rosberg told reporters in his hometown of Wiesbaden. I’m sure you’ll understand this.

“He needed to do it”.

Leading Rosberg, he attempted to back his rival into the clutches of the chasing pack in the hope that Sebastian Vettel or Max Verstappen (ideally both) would pass his Mercedes team-mate.

“He’s done the same as his father, that’s a lovely achievement”, he said, “but to win it back-to-back is never too easy”.

“It’s very simple – you can understand the team side, but I also understand Lewis, because it was not just a race win”.

“It was about the world championships, he chose to try everything he could out there so, also in a way it’s understandable, even if it was very tough”.