F1 GP Abu Dhabi: Nico Rosberg is the 2016 World Champion!

Nico Rosberg is World Champion 2016! A definitely deserved title for the driver Mercedes, who in the last event of the season fought like a lion for all 55 laps, in a race where no one held back. Lewis Hamilton he crossed the finish line as the winner, he couldn't have done more, but thanks to second place Nico took home the much coveted laurel. Great race too Sebastian Vettel, who finished in third place, giving one last joy Ferrari definitely disappointing this year. Verstappen, Ricciardo, Raikkonen, Hulkenberg, Perez, Massa and Alonso complete the top ten of the Abu Dhabi GP.

News – The asphalt temperature in Abu Dhabi was 28°C with all the riders lined up on the starting grid: Button, Grosjean, Magnussen, Ocon and Ericsson start on the soft tyres. Gutierrez, Kvyat, Nasr and Sainz with the supersofts - like the two Red Bulls - all the others with the ultrasofts. The traffic lights go out on the last round of the 1 F2016 World Championship, with Lewis Hamilton making a good start and leaving Rosberg's Mercedes behind. Behind the Brackley pair, Ricciardo was immediately overtaken by Raikkonen's Ferrari while further behind Hulkenberg attacked Verstappen: the two touched and the Dutchman spun at turn 1, sliding to the back of the grid. On lap 1 Hamilton is in the lead ahead of Rosberg, Kimi, Ricciardo - also attacked by Vettel - Perez - who passed Hulkenberg - Alonso, Massa and Bottas. Magnussen immediately goes to the pits to change the front wing but after a while he is forced to retire. Hulkenberg regains his position on Perez, while Verstappen begins his comeback. Meanwhile, a fight between the two Williams drivers, but then Bottas was forced to return to the pits due to a problem and shortly afterwards he too retired. On lap 8 Hamilton returns to the pits and switches to the soft tyre. Raikkonen's Ferrari also follows him and immediately after it is Rosberg's turn.

The German returns ahead of Raikkonen and behind Verstappen. On lap 10 Hamilton is in the lead followed by Verstappen, Rosberg, Kimi, Ricciardo, Vettel, Button, Hulkenberg, Perez and Grosjean. Rosberg is told to go get Verstappen. Hulkenberg takes seventh position from Button, who however retires shortly after due to a broken suspension. On lap 15, after the first pit stops, everyone is on yellow tires except Verstappen, the only one with the supersofts. Along with the Red Bull driver, Grosjean, Ocon and Ericsson also still have to stop. Meanwhile, Kvyat's Toro Rosso also withdraws.

On lap 19: Hamilton, Rosberg, Kimi, Ricciardo, Vettel, Hulkenberg, Perez, Massa and Grosjean. On lap 20 the key overtaking of the race: Rosberg comes at Verstappen, the Dutchman leaves a bit of space but then gets back in front. On the straight, however, Rosberg tries again and manages to take second position behind Hamilton. On lap 22 Verstappen makes his first and only pit stop and puts on the yellow tyre. On lap 23: Hamilton, Rosberg, Kimi, Ricciardo, Vettel, Hulkenberg, Perez, Verstappen, Massa and Alonso.

Ricciardo in the pits. New soft tire for the Australian, who returns eighth behind Verstappen. Raikkonen stops on the following lap and rejoins eighth behind the two Red Bulls. Verstappen passes Perez and goes up to fifth, and then fourth, after Hulkenberg stopped in the pits. Ricciardo in turn passes Perez, who stops immediately afterwards. On lap 29 Hamilton in the pits, Rosberg follows him. The German returns to third place behind Vettel and Hamilton. Verstappen is fourth at almost 4 seconds. On lap 31, among the top ten only Vettel, Massa and Alonso have yet to stop. Vettel is the race leader followed by Hamilton, Rosberg, Verstappen, Ricciardo, Kimi, Alonso, Hulkenberg, Perez and Massa. Meanwhile, on the radio they ask Hamilton why he is going so slowly... Hulkenberg takes seventh position over Alonso. Then it's also Perez's turn to overtake the McLaren driver. On lap 38 Vettel is in the pits and on the supersofts. Mercedes, Red Bull and Raikkonen are instead on the softs.

Vettel gets off to a great start and snatches fifth place from Raikkonen. With less than fifteen laps to go, Hamilton is still in the lead ahead of Rosberg, Verstappen, Ricciardo, Vettel Raikkonen, Hulkenberg, Perez, Massa, Alonso. On lap 44 Sainz's Toro Rosso also retired, having been hit by Palmer shortly before while overtaking. Meanwhile, the leading quartet has regrouped, with Vettel forcefully snatching fourth place from Ricciardo with ten laps to go and putting Verstappen in his sights. Hamilton is told several times to increase his pace but the Briton, who sees his title increasingly slipping away, seems not to want to listen to his wall, even though Paddy Lowe also intervenes to tell him so.

On lap 51 Vettel climbs to third place, leaving the two Red Bulls behind and going to catch Rosberg. He tries on the penultimate lap on the German driver, who however resists and flies towards his first world title. The three are very close, but time is up: the checkered flag waves and Nico Rosberg is the 2016 World Champion!

F1 GP Abu Dhabi – Race Standings