Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2016 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Nico Rosberg claimed his first World Championship with a nerveless second-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix season finale, withstanding Lewis Hamilton's controversial tactics and intense pressure from Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen to secure the title by just five points. Hamilton won the race from pole position with a lap of 1:38.755, but deliberately slowed the pace in a desperate attempt to back Rosberg into faster cars behind, hoping Vettel or Verstappen would overtake his teammate and drop him to fourth place - the only result that would have denied Rosberg the championship. Despite Hamilton repeatedly ignoring furious Mercedes team orders to speed up, Rosberg held his nerve with ice-cool composure to finish second, claiming the championship and fulfilling a lifelong dream. Just five days later, Rosberg shocked the sporting world by announcing his immediate retirement from Formula 1 at age 31, walking away at the absolute peak of his career having achieved everything he set out to accomplish.

The Abu Dhabi finale produced one of the most tense and controversial races in modern Formula 1 history. Hamilton, needing Rosberg to finish fourth or lower to snatch the championship, controlled the race from pole position but drove at deliberately slow pace from the front, backing up the entire field in an attempt to create opportunities for Vettel and Verstappen to pass his teammate. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff and executive director Paddy Lowe repeatedly radioed Hamilton with increasingly urgent orders to speed up and respect the team's interests, but the three-time world champion ignored every instruction in his desperate bid to deny Rosberg the title. The tactical battle created extraordinary tension - Hamilton nursemaiding the pack around Yas Marina at glacial pace while Rosberg, running second, faced constant pressure from Vettel's Ferrari and Verstappen's Red Bull hunting behind. Rosberg drove the race of his life under unimaginable pressure, defending brilliantly and making no mistakes as Vettel and Verstappen probed for openings lap after lap.

Hamilton took the checkered flag for his 10th victory of the season, but it was Rosberg's day and Rosberg's championship. Vettel finished third after setting the fastest lap of 1:43.729, with Verstappen fourth - both having come agonizingly close to passing Rosberg but unable to make the decisive move. Rosberg's championship triumph, sealed with 385 points to Hamilton's 380, was the culmination of his most complete season - nine victories, seven pole positions, and crucially, the consistency to score points at every race. The title ended Hamilton's two-year reign and made Rosberg only the second second-generation world champion after Damon Hill, following his father Keke's 1982 championship. Then came the bombshell - on December 2nd, just five days after his championship triumph, Rosberg announced his immediate retirement, citing a desire to spend time with his family and the recognition that he had achieved his ultimate goal. His decision to walk away at the absolute zenith of his career, foregoing the opportunity to defend his title, shocked the F1 world and left Mercedes scrambling to find a replacement, ultimately promoting Valtteri Bottas from Williams. Rosberg's retirement ensured his championship would be his final act in Formula 1, a perfect ending to a career defined by determination, speed, and the fulfillment of a childhood dream.