Rosberg concludes with success in Abu Dhabi

12th double, 16th victory for Mercedes, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ended the season in style for the German team, with a sixth success for Nico Rosberg, the third in a row from Mexico. The pole-sitter was not worried throughout this nineteenth event of the year and despite a vibration at the rear of his No. 06 Mercedes W6 Hybrid in the final moments of the race, won in front Lewis Hamilton.

The three-time world champion, however, tried a strategy different from his teammate, by extending his second stint, but without success for the Briton who ultimately lost with just over eight seconds under the checkered flag.

Kimi Räikkönen (Ferrari) climbs onto the podium for the third time this season, and thus takes fourth place in the Drivers' championship facing his compatriot Valtteri Bottas (Williams) who was unable to maintain the small point lead he had before the start. The Finn from Grove notably lost big in a contact in the pits with the McLaren from Jenson Button, forcing him to come back a lap later to change a damaged front wing.

Despite failed qualifications, Sebastian Vettel took advantage of the performance of his SF15-T to move up to fourth position on the finish line, after having overtaken the Force India of Sergio Pérez and the Red Bull de Daniel Ricciardo. Nico Hulkenberg (Force India) finished seventh ahead of Felipe Massa (Williams).

For his last Grand Prix under Lotus colors, Romain Grosjean finished in the points in ninth place after getting rid of Daniil Kvyat (Red Bull) in the last two laps. Less success for McLaren who failed to grab points for the 2015 final, with Jenson Button thirteenth and Fernando Alonso seventeenth. The Spaniard was involved in a collision at the first corner after the start which caused the elimination of Pastor Maldonado's Lotus. Alonso was also penalized with a drive-through for the maneuver.

The first Grand Prix of the 2016 season will be contested on March 20 in Melbourne, Australia.

Find the full report and analysis of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, produced by our special correspondents on site, in issue 2040 of AUTOhebdo, available from tomorrow evening in digital version, and from this Wednesday on newsstands.