Rosberg secures debut world title ahead of Hamilton
Iain Rogers
November 27, 2016
Nico Rosberg secured his debut Formula One drivers' championship at a tense season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Second place was enough for the German to pip his British Mercedes teammate, Lewis Hamilton, to the title.
Image: Reuters/H. Mohammad
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Hamilton started from pole position and claimed victory, his 10th of the season and fourth in a row, in a nail-biting conclusion to the season at the Yas Marina circuit.
The defending champion set Mercedes' nerves jangling towards the end of the race when he appeared to deliberately slow the pace despite team orders to the contrary to try to push Rosberg into the clutches of the drivers behind.
Vulnerable position
His final lap was nine seconds slower than the one that secured pole and was clearly designed to put Rosberg in a vulnerable position.
Rosberg’s compatriot, Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari, even accused Hamilton of "dirty tricks" over his team radio.
Vettel finished third ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, with the top four separated by less than two seconds.
"There was pressure on from behind at the end, with Lewis driving slow in front. It was a tough one," an exhausted-looking Rosberg told a news conference.
"It’s crazy. It was so intense the race so I think it’s going to take some time to settle and come out because it was really intense out there and so tough," added the 31-year-old, who drove superbly to keep Verstappen at bay earlier in the race.
Not enjoyable
"Those last couple of laps with those two guys behind, I knew if I dropped behind them it’s over so not enjoyable."
Rosberg had led his long-term rival by 12 points going into Sunday’s showdown, with both on nine race wins, and the German needed only a podium finish to clinch the title.
His eventual margin of victory in the overall standings was just five points, with Australian Daniel Ricciardo of Red Bull third and Vettel fourth.
Rosberg celebrates on the Yas Marina podiumImage: picture-alliance/dpa/V. Xhemaj
The son of 1982 champion Keke Rosberg, he is the third German to reach the F1 summit after Michael Schumacher and Vettel and the first to win driving for a German team.
Rosberg’s triumph prevented Hamilton from becoming the first Briton to win four world championship crowns. No driver had previously won 10 races in a season and failed to take the title.
Hamilton insisted he did nothing wrong in the final laps.
"I don't think I did anything dangerous, I don't think I did anything unfair," he said "We were fighting for the championship, I was in the lead so I control the pace. That is the rules.
"For me, I am in a position where I had a lot of points lost during the season so for me I am out there fighting and generally never try to do anything to harm the team or the brand.
"But we won the constructors' championship so it was down to me and Nico today. However, they felt they still needed to make comments. We will discuss it afterwards as we always do."
Felipe Massa of Williams signed off on his F1 career with a ninth-place finish, while McLaren driver Jenson Button was in contention for points in his final Grand Prix but was forced out by suspension failure.
From champion to F1 retiree
Only five days after winning his first F1 title, Nico Rosberg surprised the world by announcing his retirement from the elite motorsport. Here's a look at some of the highlights of his career.
Image: Reuters/R. Orlowski
On top of the world
"I have reached the top," wrote Nico Rosberg explaining his surprise retirement to his fans through his Facebook page after only five days of winning the Formula One title. "I've decided to follow my heart and it has told me to stop there, it's been wonderful and this just feels right," said the 31-year-old newly retired F1 driver.
Image: Reuters/R. Orlowski
Made it at last!
Nico Rosberg savors his debut world title with compatriot Sebastian Vettel on the podium at Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi. Finishing second behind Mercedes team mate and long-term rival Lewis Hamilton was enough for the German to pip the Briton to the drivers' crown.
Image: Getty Images/C. Mason
Going to the track with his mother
Even as a toddler, Nico Rosberg attended his father Keke's (above left) races with his mother Sina (right). Keke won his only F1 drivers' title two and a half years before Nico was born. Nico grew up around racing and was given his first go-kart when he was nine years old.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/dpaweb
Passing the torch
Finnish driver Keke Rosberg competed in his last race as a driver for Opel in the German Touring Car Masters series in October 1995. His son, who holds both German and Finnish citizenship, joined him on the roof of his car for the lap of honor. One year later, Nico would obtain his racing license in Finland and begin racing go-carts in various racing series.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/dpaweb/J. Wießmann
Close friends
The road to Formula One begins on the go-cart track. This is where Nico Rosberg first met Lewis Hamilton. The two young men who shared a passion for motor racing, quickly became friends.
Image: picture alliance/ DPPI Media
Teammates for the first time
In 2000, the two teenagers became teammates - while still driving go-carts. In 2005, Rosberg won the GP2, the junior series along the road to Formula One, while Hamilton won the same title one year later.
Image: picture alliance/DPPI Media
An F1 legend as a teammate
Mercedes announced in late 2009 that Rosberg had signed on to drive one of the German carmaker's "Silver Arrows" the following season. Soon, Mercedes would have not just one but two German drivers, as seven-time champion Michael Schumacher announced his comeback. However, the young Rosberg finished above the driving legend in the standings.
Image: picture alliance/HOCH ZWEI
Finally, his first checkered flag
It was a long time coming but on April 15, 2012, Nico Rosberg finally won his first Grand Prix race in Shanghai. "Winning in a Silver Arrow is amazing," he said afterwards. This was the first Grand Prix win for Mercedes in more than five decades.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/D. Azubel
From friends to bitter rivals
After Michael Schumacher decided to retire (again), Rosberg welcomed an old friend into the fold. However, they quickly became bitter rivals, with both challenging for the F1 title. Twice Hamilton has won the drivers' championship since joining Mercedes - in 2014 and 2015. He won is first with McLaren in 2008.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
More rivals than teammates
Their bitter rivalry has been played out not only verbally, but also out on the track. The two got into a crash, which forced Hamilton to retire from the Belgian Grand Prix in 2014. In 2016 they've had two collisions, one in Barcelona (pictured here), which forced both to retire, and at the Austrian Grand Prix, which caused Rosberg to fall back to fourth place.
In July, 2014 Rosberg married his childhood friend and longtime fiancé, Vivian Sibold. In August 2015, the couple announced the birth of their daughter, Alaϊa.
