Rosberg vs Hamilton
The Teammate War
The Story
The 2016 championship was a fight between two men who had been friends since their teenage karting days, and it destroyed their relationship entirely. Nico Rosberg arrived with new determination after losing the 2015 title, winning the first four races and building a commanding lead. Hamilton fought back through the middle of the season, winning six of seven races, but Rosberg's consistency kept him ahead. The tension boiled over at Barcelona when they collided on the opening lap, taking each other out. By Abu Dhabi, Rosberg needed only a podium. Hamilton, leading the race, deliberately slowed down to back Rosberg into traffic, but the German held his nerve to finish second and clinch his only championship. Five days later, Rosberg stunned the world by retiring.
Points Progression
| Race | Rosberg | Hamilton | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian GP | 25 | 18 | Rosberg +7 |
| Bahrain GP | 50 | 33 | Rosberg +17 |
| Chinese GP | 75 | 39 | Rosberg +36 |
| Russian GP | 100 | 57 | Rosberg +43 |
| Spanish GP | 100 | 57 | Rosberg +43 |
Final Standings
| Pos | Driver | Team | Wins | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nico Rosberg | Mercedes | 9 | 385 |
| 2 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 10 | 380 |
| 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | Red Bull | 1 | 256 |
| 4 | Sebastian Vettel | Ferrari | 0 | 212 |
| 5 | Max Verstappen | Toro Rosso | 1 | 204 |
| 6 | Kimi Räikkönen | Ferrari | 0 | 186 |
| 7 | Sergio Pérez | Force India | 0 | 101 |
| 8 | Valtteri Bottas | Williams | 0 | 85 |
| 9 | Nico Hülkenberg | Force India | 0 | 72 |
| 10 | Fernando Alonso | McLaren | 0 | 54 |