Nico Rosberg has joined a very exclusive club yesterday by securing his first-ever Formula 1 World Championship, 34 years after his father, Keke Rosberg won the title in 1982, and beating out Lewis Hamilton.
Going into the final race of the 2016 season at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, Rosberg had a 12-point lead over his Mercedes teammate, and only needed to secure a podium finish to take the Championship.
Despite pressure from Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen, the German managed to hold on to his second position right to the finish, adding 18 points to his tally for a total of 385, five more than Hamilton’s 380 points.
The Brit had a flawless weekend leading up to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, qualifying first on Saturday before going on to take the chequered flag for his tenth win of the season. However, even with one more win than Rosberg this season, previous retirements in Spain and Malaysia didn’t aid in his pursuit of retaining his title.
Championship battle aside, the end of the 2016 F1 season also sees the departure of two long-time drivers from the grid. The first being Felipe Massa, who will officially retire after 14 years in the sport (disregarding 2003 where he was a test driver at Ferrari), with 11 wins and 41 podiums to his name.
Next is another Brit, Jenson Button, who has announced that he will retire from the sport, although he will remain as a reserve driver and ambassador of McLaren until the 2018 season as part of his contract with the team. During his 17 consecutive seasons, he won the World Driver’s Championship in 2009, and has notched up 15 wins in total, with 50 podium finishes.
Next year, Formula 1 will undergo several changes, beginning with the design of the cars that will make them wider, heavier and run on fatter tyres, which the FIA claims will provide substantial gains of five to six seconds. Off the grid, the power unit token system will be scrapped from 2017, meaning the four engine manufacturers – Ferrari, Mercedes, Honda and Renault – will face no limits on development next season.
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Thank you for the update. Just wondering, you guys using internet explorer?
Should be using 56k dial up internet connection.
They actually dont post anything On weekends either!
full deserved! and how pathetic and low class was Hamilton… he is quickly losing his fans…. glas he didnt win.. too smug
BS, Nico won by cheating. He has to thank his fellow German/Austrian masters for sabotaging Lewis’s car a good part of the year.
The Mercedes formula 1 car’s technical and maintenance centre is in the UK, you fool! How can you say this is a German/Austrian conspiracy. Even most of the Mercedes technicians on the pit are English.
Oh, you mean Mercedes team purposely planned the engine blowout of Hamilton’s car in Sepang and right in front of the main sponsors Petronas? Brilliant theory.
I watched Sky News. They were all supportive of Lewis Hamilton’s action, even though he was wrong to hold Rosberg back, with intention to sabotage him. He admitted afterwards that he had to do that to ensure Rosberg loses.
Can’t believe how hypocritical these English people are, when one of theirs try to sabotage another driver. Imagine if Rosberg did that to Hamilton, BBC, Reuters and Sky will criticize him for a decade and make him look like he was a war criminal. Typical English bullocks, if you ask me!
If they can do it to a country like MY, whats more to a single person like Rosberg?
Spot on… that bastard Johnny Herbert tried so hard for Toto to say the wrong words by insisting slowing down is part of racing. It all depend on where you draw the line. Some can argue crashing is part of a race. Nico only needs to crash Lewis out to ensure the championship. Yes, few world champions did that. Not just world champions, they are widely revered as the best champions in Formula 1 history. If the situation is reverse, I am sure Lewis will tries to emulate his idol (which he shamelessly compare himself with)by crashing Nico out. I mean, it is not like he never intentionally crash out competitor before. Remember what Massa had to go through every other race that season?
Hahaha… modern F1 fans know nothing about tactical stuffs like backing the other guy into the clutches of other people. Sad…
Personally I dont really care Nico or Lewis win. It just sad that people dont really know much about racing strategy nowadays. I would not say Nico does not deserved to win because he has been quite consistent for Mercedes, although less flashy than Lewis.
Honestly, what Im disappointed about is Mercedes actually asked Hamilton to pick up the pace because Nico is asking for it. Nico should just race with his team mate for honour once. 12points ahead, same car, and not willing to put his skills on the line for what he wanted most, Im disappointed.
F1 please bring back NA engines . The minute you went turbo i lost interest completely . One of the main reasons we go to see the races is to hear the roar of 18, 000 rpm NA engines . i was one of the medical staff at Sepang turn many years back , v10 roar was orgasmic .
It was 21K to be exact…
What a boring season this 2016 F1 becomes…:(
Thank Q Felipe Massa & Jenson Button for your past contribution to the old school F1 machine which roars past 18,000 RPM that have the audience mesmerized with the intoxicating roars.
Congratulations to Nico Rosberg for joining the elite as F1 champion & made your father proud.
As for the future, Max Verstappen will be the future champion going by the sheer talent he has displayed in 2016 by winning a F1 race in Spain at a tender age of 18.