Nico Rosberg completed his end-of-season hat-trick of victories last night in a less than scintillating Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, in which his Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton once again found himself fruitlessly chasing his elusive 44th triumph.
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Nico Rosberg won the final three races, and took six poles in a row after Hamilton won 10 of the first 16 races and took 11 poles in the first 12.
“If Mercedes retain the leadership that you nearly expect from Mercedes, I’m afraid you could be finding the same thing, but don’t count out Rosberg”, Stewart is quoted as saying by the Press Association when asked if Hamilton could win a fourth title next year.
With Hamilton suggesting his form has gotten worse as a result, rather than Rosberg’s getting better, Wolff is more sceptical about the three-time champion’s words, reckoning a combination of factors could be at play, including him “taking it easier” having wrapped up the title.
Rosberg dominated to win pole position at Yas Marina Circuit and backed it up with his ever first race victory in the UAE capital city. “But since then I’ve come back a lot stronger”. I would love to start the 2016 season tomorrow – but I know that´s not possible.
Maybe it’s just Rosberg’s will to win and finish the season in style?
Rosberg then controlled it throughout, and while Hamilton pushed hard to make an offset strategy work – making his second stop late, he was unable to mount a challenge, eventually finishing 8.2 seconds adrift at the chequered flag.
Mercedes were mysteriously off the pace at the Singapore Grand Prix, and Hamilton has said he’s felt uncomfortable with the balance of the vehicle since. Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg of Germany won the race.
“It’s unusual, I’m enjoying the moment so much – but I’m thinking already very much of next year what I could change and where I can improve”.
“I think being the world champion sounds a lot better than winning the race”, he said.
“I’m ecstatic with the way it went”, said Rosberg.
Can Ferrari take the fight to Mercedes next year?
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Daniel Ricciardo was sixth for Red Bull ahead of Nico Hulkenberg in the second Force India, Felipe Massa of Williams, Romain Grosjean who marked his last race for Lotus with a surge to ninth and Daniil Kvyat in the second Red Bull. Of course we’re aware of the threat from the red guys, and we don’t them to come too close, and we’ll give it everything over the winter. They also broke the single-season points record they set previous year by two, despite the fact that double points weren’t on offer like they were in 2014’s finale.
