Rosberg required a podium finish to secure the championship Hamilton required a podium to remain in mathematical contention. Their team, Mercedes, held a lead of two hundred and seventy-six points over Red Bull Racing in the World Constructors' Championship. The previous year's race winner Nico Rosberg entered the round with a twelve-point lead over his teammate Lewis Hamilton in the World Drivers' Championship. It marked the eighth running of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and the eighth time that the race had been run as a World Championship event since the inaugural race in 2009.
The race was the twenty-first and final round of the 2016 FIA Formula One World Championship and determined the 2016 World Drivers' Championship. In terms of their records in Abu Dhabi, Hamilton's pole on Saturday marked the first time since they became team mates in 2013 that he has got the better of Rosberg in qualifying at Yas Marina - while the only time he has finished ahead here on a Sunday was in 2014, when Rosberg was famously hit with technical issues.The 2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (officially known as the 2016 Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix) was a Formula One motor race held on 27 November 2016 at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. He finishes third, and Rosberg finishes outside the top eight.
He finishes second, and Rosberg finishes outside the top six.He triumphs, and Rosberg is fourth or lower.Fundamentally, the Briton's hopes can be summarised as: Hamilton, therefore, must finish within the top four to stand any chance of snatching the championship - but even then he needs a helping hand from Rosberg. Hamilton finishes fourth or lower (regardless of where Rosberg finishes).He finishes eighth or higher, and Hamilton is no higher than third.He finishes sixth or higher, and Hamilton doesn't win.He finishes on the podium in Abu Dhabi (regardless of where Hamilton finishes).A 12-point cushion over Hamilton heading into the weekend gives him a clear advantage, and means the Briton has but a slim hope of denying his team mate a first championship triumph. As the graphic indicates, Rosberg is very much in control of his own fate - the first time the German has ever been in that position.