But the moment then belonged to Hamilton, yet again, who drove a champion drive again to win his third world title. Little was savored for Rosberg. But perhaps not even Niki Lauda, would have thought about Rosberg seriously when his message during the final stages of his race retirement signaled a clear intent. He wasn’t kidding.
And look at 2016’s electrifying stats
9 race victories leading to 27 consecutive finishes within top 2 on the podium and finally that elusive world championship crown. To those who were used to enamoring the Briton were in for a shocker as Rosberg completed 7 back to back race victories, continuing his glorious season ending form in 2015 to 2016 as he sailed on top in season opener at Australia, followed by Bahrain, China and Russia.
At a time when Hamilton returned to great form, signaling he was no lean pushover, winning USA, Mexico and Brazil, Nico was at his defiant best in Abu Dhabi. The way he fended off a roaring Sebastian Vettel from going P2 on him was ecstatic even hair-raising. This was when an ‘unsportsmanlike’ Hamilton was intentionally slowing from the front of the grid in order to unleash both Vettel and Verstappen on him. But then, the roaring Duetscher in Rosberg rose to the occasion and confronted both his inner demons and his on track adversaries with obduracy, aligning an inner fury to his collected demeanor in emerging right on top.
Going donuts then, post his drive to the checkered flag was more a deserving celebration than an over the top celebration that fans have often seen and been bored with. Cometh the hour, cometh Nico Rosberg. May sunny skies be his in the coming years as he will look to solidify his F1 standing while the critics can go eat cold turkey.