Formula One heads into Abu Dhabi for the final race of the 2016 Formula One World Championship this weekend.
Whilst Mercedes may well have wrapped up the constructors championship a long time ago, Nico Rosberg is yet to clinch a title that all season long has looked set to he his.
The German now needs just a podium finish to clinch his first Formula One World Championship, whilst three-time title holder Lewis Hamilton knows that even winning his tenth race of the season may well not be enough due to his poor reliability issues that he has suffered this season.
‘I’m in an awkward position going into the last race, It doesn’t really make a big difference if I go and drive like I do right now because I’ve already lost so much [ground] through the year. Hamilton told Sky Sports.
The first part of the season, Hamilton was plagued with engine problems which resulted in him having to battle through the field after poor starting positions.
By the time the pair reached Spain and the fifth race of the season, Rosberg already held a 43 point lead.
That position was maintained after Spain as the Mercedes drivers collided whilst in first and second place, retiring from the race.
Hamilton went on to win six of the next seven races to give himself a 19 point lead going into the summer break, but Hamilton remained under a handicap knowing he would have to take a major grid penalty as a knock on affect of his engine failures earlier in the season.
This handed Rosberg an opportunity and coupled with poor starts allowed Rosberg to take back control of the championship and when Hamilton suffered another engine failure in Malaysia whilst he was leading the race, robbing him of 25 points and boosting Rosberg to third.
That swing of 28 points gave Rosberg a 23 point lead in the championship rather than Hamilton holding his own 5 point lead.
Yet another poor start in Japan cost Hamilton which resulted in a third place finish whilst Rosberg extended his lead with his ninth win of the season.
But since then Hamilton has won three consecutive races, cutting the points deficit to 12.
‘I can’t give up because I don’t know what could happen. It’s unlikely, but you never know.’
‘Nico’s doing all he has to do. He has finished every race and not had any problems, where I have, He’s had fantastic reliability, so it’s going it’s going to be very hard to beat him.’
‘What can really happen? Nico is just cruising to finish second and unfortunately the Red Bulls are not at the moment quick enough to really challenge us, All l can do is focus on my job and hope things happen for the right reasons.’
Hamilton plays down title chances
