F1 2016. Hamilton or Rosberg?

With just over half an hour till the race starts, who do you think will win? Who do you think deserves to win and why?

I think Hamilton will win. I also think he deserves to win because the failures have been mainly due to his car, rather than mistakes that he has made.

Don't get me wrong, Rosberg is a good driver, but he just lacks aggressiveness. He plays it too safe and then takes a mind boggling chance (look at the smash he had with Hamilton then limped to the finish line).

So what are your thoughts and predictions for the final race of 2016?

Hamilton will win this race with Rosberg second, unless Rosberg gets away aggressively, which is unlikely.

I think Hamilton needs Rosberg to have a mechanical failure to have any chance of retaining the title, but it's been an interesting end to the season.

a reply to: Cobaltic1978

I'm not so sure TBH.

Hamilton, I believe, will finish first.

Rosberg needs to finish on the podium to win the Championship, if Hamilton is first. Now, take into consideration how well Verstappen has been doing (he's my new favourite driver over Ricciardo and my wife hates me lol) and how much of a threat he's been to Rosberg in other races (look at the last race). And there's also the threat from Ricciardo.

Then you've got both the Ferrari drivers. They have been doing pretty badly, but they're still a threat. Especially when it comes to pit stop strategies.

You've also got to think about the car itself. Hamilton had a lot of car problems this season. Rosberg hasn't. I personally think Rosberg is over due a major car problem.

I don't think this race is going to be as straight forward as most of the other races.

The Mercedes cars are the cars to beat and although Verstappen has been a breath of fresh air this year, he is an aggressive driver who likes to drive the car to its limits, I still feel Rosberg won't take any risks and will ensure a top three finish.

Being British, I want Hamilton to win the title, and he would be in a much better position if it wasn't for the mechanical failures earlier in the season. Such is life for a F1 driver, you need a bit of luck on your side and Rosberg seems to have the majority of Mercedes good fortune this year.

a reply to: TerryDon79

Not sure who will win but I hope Rosberg takes the Championship , all he needs is to come third or better which barring shenanigans or a failure he should do easily.
I think Hamilton is a great driver but over the last couple of years he's proved himself unstable , I have a feeling the pressure may get to him today.

Looking forward to a great race.

a reply to: Cobaltic1978

I'm a Brit too and have been rooting for Hamilton for years. I will be rooting for him next year, but I'll also be rooting for Verstappen. Can't wait to see how he drives on a fresh season.

The problem with Rosberg is he doesn't do well under pressure. He ends up making silly mistakes (braking too late, missing his lines, etc). I think we're going to see him make A LOT of mistakes this race.

a reply to: gortex

I don't think he's unstable. I think he's over confident. But can you really blame him? 3 times world champ is bound to go to your head some lol.

Hamilton is doing all he can do just now, Verstappen is now back in play. Game on folks.

Naughty Lewis , not very sporting.

Congratulations Nico !

Sad performance Hamilton

Well done Rosberg (I'm not a bad sport lol).

Lewis was just doing what he could to win the Chanpionship. Bit underhanded, but I'm sure most of the drivers would have done the same.

Here's to a great 2016 season

a reply to: TerryDon79

Lewis was trying to alter the result of the race , I think that unsporting and borderline cheating.

Sad not to see Jenson finish his final race.
Well deserved victory for Rosberg.

a reply to: gortex

He was trying to win the championship. He didn't really do anything that others drivers wouldn't have done in the same situation (in my opinion).

I actually felt a bit upset for Button. How gutting is it to finish your career with a non finish due to a mechanical fault?

Rosberg definitely earned his championship this season.

a reply to: TerryDon79

He was trying to win the championship. He didn't really do anything that others drivers wouldn't have done in the same situation (in my opinion).

I disagree , in all my years (since the 80s) I've never seen anything like that , F1 is a team sport and for a driver to ignore instructions from senior management and behave as he did is unprecedented to my memory.

I think there will be repercussions from his team and perhaps the FIA.

a reply to: gortex

Except Schumacher crashing deliberately twice & Senna taking out Prost. Those were far more dangerous & underhanded than what Lewis did today.

Rosberg could have quite easily put pressure on Lewis in the section he was slow and make a pass. Lewis just managed the race which he's entitled to do as the race leader.

It's called a race for a reason, if you are faster than the car in front of you, you have to make a pass. It's not up to them to give you the place.

originally posted by: gortex
a reply to: TerryDon79

He was trying to win the championship. He didn't really do anything that others drivers wouldn't have done in the same situation (in my opinion).

I disagree , in all my years (since the 80s) I've never seen anything like that , F1 is a team sport and for a driver to ignore instructions from senior management and behave as he did is unprecedented to my memory.

I think there will be repercussions from his team and perhaps the FIA.

Ignoring team orders is not unprecedented. Not at all.

("Multi 21, Seb, Multi 21")

We get to hear about it at least a couple of times each season, and presumably it has happened boatloads of more times than that (especially considering team orders was not an official thing until recently). Verstappen has ignored team orders to let Carlos Saintz through this season, and didn't both Nasr and Ericsson go against team orders earlier this season on two separate occasions?

Personally I think Lewis should do as told, but on the other hand, 1) complaining that your competition is too slow is whiney - go attack him then, he has more to lose in a crash than you anyway, and 2) Lauda had promised again and again that there would be no orders given, even as recently as a week ago:

Mercedes F1 team's non-executive chairman Niki Lauda has made it clear that there will be no team orders for either Nico Rosberg or Lewis Hamilton when the duo arrive at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with the Drivers' World Championship at stake.

originally posted by: gortex
Naughty Lewis , not very sporting.

Well, not very world champion-like to complain about the competition being too slow either, is it?

If you are are about to be the world champion in the premier racing class, surely you should be able to either force the driver in front to go faster or to overtake him.

Lewis was always in control of the race and I could swear I heard him "La, la, laling" when those orders to speed up were given.

I'm almost certain Rosberg would have done the same, but it didn't make any difference in the end.

Well done Rosberg (typed through gritted teeth).

It was a brilliant race especially in the last 10+ laps, shame for Max Verstappen as Vettel over took him, nearly had Rosberg as well.

Glad Lewis one the race and happy for Rosberg winning his first world title...Good end to the F1 year.

Next year the car's are going to be faster and wider can't wait lol :-)