- Commissioner’s statement on Ventura, Marte
- Ronnie O’Sullivan: Masters champion ‘felt so vulnerable’ in final
- Arron Fletcher Wins 2017 WSOP International Circuit Marrakech Main Event ($140,224)
- Smith challenges Warner to go big in India
- Moncada No. 1 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- Braves land 2 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
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- New Zealand wrap up 2-0 after Bangladesh implosion
- Mathews, Pradeep, Gunathilaka to return to Sri Lanka
- Elliott hopes for rain for Poli
Conclusions from Abu Dhabi
- Updated: November 28, 2016
Abu Dhabi delivered…
Abu Dhabi delivers the finale we wanted Not for Nico Rosberg, the Champion. He described the 2016 visit to the Emirates as “not enjoyable”, even though he did what he needed to do to usurp Lewis Hamilton as F1’s #1.
And this was a race to remember that will forever be etched into F1 lore just like Hunt vs Lauda, Prost vs Senna, and Schumacher vs Hill.
The tactics of Hamilton, the outgoing Champion, will be debated for decades to come and are likely to have serious ramifications at Mercedes in 2017 and beyond. Hamilton used an approach first mooted by Christian Horner, which involved slowing to back up the pack and ensure that the Ferraris and Red Bulls piled the pressure on Rosberg.
This goes beyond Spa 2014, Barcelona 2016, and capgate and forever confirms the fracture in the relationship between the two racers.
For the neutral-leaning fan, the sight of Rosberg sandwiched between his team-mate and Sebastian Vettel’s flying Ferrari, was a sight to behold.
Reaching this point was also a rollercoaster, with Rosberg’s wheel-to-wheel battle with Max Verstappen standing out as a defining moment in the race.
As for Hamilton’s gamesmanship up front, notions of sportsmanlike behaviour and fairness go out the window when a title is at stake. It is what fans want to see and underscores the continuing appeal of F1 – despite criticism about the way the sport is being run.
Heart vs mind Before the race Hamilton went to great lengths to point out that in his heart he thought had been the better driver through the 2016 campaign, much like in 2007, he said in The Guardian, when he felt he deserved the title more than Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen.
Many fans and analysts don’t doubt that in terms of pure pace Hamilton is faster than Rosberg, so the German’s achievements this season only serve to show how far he has progressed as a driver and …
