LEWIS HAMILTON won his second world drivers’ championship with his victory in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday.
Pre-race the equation was simple for the Briton; win or come second to claim his second world crown. He proved more than equal to the task at the impressive Yas Marina circuit.
Hamilton made a scintillating start, shooting past pole sitter Rosberg before the first bend.
After ten laps Hamilton, 29, had gained a two second advantage over his German title rival to lead the day/night Grand Prix.
Stevenage-born Hamilton made his first pit stop on lap 11 and his team were as sharp as their world-champion elect, taking just 2.7 seconds to refresh his tyres.
Hamilton was to regain the lead, with Rosberg breathing down his tail, after race leader Felipe Massa pitted on lap 14.
At the half way mark Hamilton, who had clearly turned on his turbo, was some 13 seconds clear of the ailing Rosberg and all was looking good.
Just two laps later, and Rosberg had virtually conceded the championship when he was passed by the rampaging Massa.
On lap 32 of the 55-lap race in the desert, Hamilton came in for his second pit stop which meant he came out behind race leader Massa and Rosberg.
However it didn’t take the Briton long to see off the German and attempt to hunt down Massa.
Lap 44 was to prove pivotal as Brazilian Massa pitted for the second time with the result that Hamilton took the lead once again. He was not to relinquish it thereafter.
Meanwhile Rosberg, who was dogged by engine problems from an early stage, was lying in seventh and was over a minute behind Hamilton. The German was now a spent force and the world crown was out of reach.
The icing on the cake for Hamilton, was when he lapped his team-mate just a couple of laps from the end of the race.
The closing stages of the race saw Massa eat into Hamilton’s lead but the Mercedes ace had enough to see off the Williams driver. Third place by Williams’ other driver Valtteri Bottas.
Despite what has been a close run season with Rosberg, Hamilton won the ultimate prize with a total of 384 points to his rival’s 317.
Hamilton, the 2008 champion, became only the fourth Briton to win two world titles.
The Englishman’s win was his 11th of the season, compared to Rosberg’s five. It was the 33rd win of Hamilton’s career, moving him clear of his great rival Fernando Alonso into fifth in the all-time list.- Voice
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