Nico Rosberg has won the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix, the last race of the season.
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“We have to make an audit in the next couple of weeks and analyse what happened in the last couple of races”. “But since then I’ve come back a lot stronger”.
“Our 2016 season now starts in just 48 hours time when we embark on a 12-hour test throughout Tuesday, during which we will be testing the new ultrasoft tyre as well as new constructions for 2016”. I don’t need any holidays. “I think being a world champion sounds a lot better than winning a race, obviously”, said the Briton, who thinks the about-turn in fortunes has more to do with a recent vehicle set-up change.
Rosberg faces a crucial year after finishing runner-up to Hamilton, who can become Britain’s first ever four times champion, for the past two campaigns.
“Let’s leave that”, he said.
Hamilton and Rosberg will be at the Brackley headquarters for more testing over the next fortnight, before they take their Christmas break.
“Firstly, it has been an incredible year”.
“Thanks so much to my team for this wonderful Silver Arrow – everyone at the factories and the track has done such an incredible job all year”, insisted Rosberg.
“They’ve surpassed expectations throughout the year”.
“As that didn’t work out, the stop, going too long was probably not the right thing to do, but we gave it a try…”
Meanwhile, Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen, who finished third to go past teammate Sebastian Vettel with more podiums than the German, said it was encouraging for the team. We didn’t have an ideal start to the season.
“But it’s not been an ideal year”. And y’know, the speed has been there but mistakes and problems and stuff like that.
For Rosberg, the moment is something that he did not want to stop, knowing that he has won the last three races to go with six consecutive poles.
“Austin was the low point of the season”, Rosberg said. If no one gets near Mercedes on performance, again, perhaps Rosberg can, at least, stay near to Hamilton.
“We’re aware of the threat next season from the red guys [Ferrari], so we’ll give it everything over the winter and I’ll try to keep the current form going next year”.
“But the tyre wouldn’t [last] and so it went into the third-best option”.
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Alonso, who was penalized after being caught up in a wreck with Pastor Maldonado and Felipe Nasr, said Formula One was in trouble and the cause was not demonstrating common sense. He edged clear in the opening stint, eventually gaining an advantage of as much as 4.7 seconds in just 10 laps before he made the first of two scheduled stops. Hamilton led briefly before he followed him in, rejoining third.
