Rosberg entered the race trailing Hamilton by 17 points, so he had to finish ahead of the 2008 World Champion to have any chance at the title. But with Hamilton already holding a comfortable lead, Rosberg began experiencing problems with the car’s regenerative braking system. He dropped back through the field, and when he dropped out of the top five with about a dozen laps to go, Hamilton effectively clinched the championship because he even if he failed to finish he would still win the title.
In order to boost the excitement at the end of the season, F1 changed the rules and for the first time awarded double points in the last race in Abu Dhabi. That change added drama to the weekend, but ultimately did not affect the chase for the title.
Brazilian Filipe Massa in the Williams challenged Hamilton, who was conserving his car, in the late stages of the race, but Hamilton held him off for his career-best 11th win of the season. The win was the 33rd of Hamilton’s career, placing him fifth all time.
“World champion, oh my god, ” Hamilton whooped into his radio, as he did donuts on the course.
“ You’re an absolute legend.” said England’s Prince Harry into the team’s radio after the checkered flag.
After the race, Hamilton celebrated with his longtime girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger, formerly a member of the band The Pussycat Dolls.
In guarded good news, Jules Bianchi, who was seriously injured when his car crashed into a crane in the Japanese Grand Prix, returned home this week to France and was no longer in a medically induced coma. He was still unconscious and his condition was still reported as “critical but stable.”