Memories of the 2016 F1 season will stay with us for years to come as there were so many surprises and dramatic moments that you couldn’t fail to be hooked from the opening moment right through to the final lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
At a record-breaking 21 races, this year was the longest in the history of Formula 1 meaning there was plenty going on from start to finish to keep us all glued to our screens as we watched the drama unfold, so here’s our 2016 F1 season review.
Mercedes dominates, again.
Hamilton and Rosberg were undoubtedly the stars of the show, winning 10 and 9 races each respectively and keeping each other on their toes throughout.
Their crash in Spain made headlines and as far as opening laps go it was one of the most dramatic, being the worst they’d had since becoming teammates.
Hamilton did all he could to shake up Nico and was not averse to going against orders from his team to get his own way.
Vestappen & Vettel.
Rosberg may have been considered an underdog by many, with Hamilton getting more wins and pole positions overall, however it was actually Nico’s strongest season so far – the same certainly can’t be said for Vettel who despite his skills just seemed to be lacking that something special this year.
However, while he may not have been the best driver out there, he will be remembered for that famous slip up over the radio where he swore at Charlie Whiting, the Race Director, when Verstappen supposedly behaved in an unsporting manner.
Max himself took to the spotlight as an exciting new driver, finishing third in Brazil and a very respectable fourth in Abu Dhabi thanks to his aggression and fearless approach to racing.
The 2016 calendar had a new addition in the form of Baku for the European Grand Prix, a beautiful, speedy street circuit that gave drivers a real challenge on the track.
2015 was not the best for McLaren and Honda, however they came back fighting for the new season with big improvements that kept Alonso and Button in the running against their competition.
New World Champion.
In the end, nobody could have predicted the winner of the season, and even when Rosberg did win the F1 Drivers’ Championship there were only five points in it so it really was all to play, or should we say race, for.
As if there wasn’t enough drama surrounding Nico Rosberg, he then goes and retires from F1 for good in a shock exit just after winning his dream title, leaving Lewis without a partner.
Here’s hoping 2017 brings another spectacular Formula One season filled with even more controversy and intense rivalry!
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