Nico Rosberg beat Lewis Hamilton by five points for the 2016 Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship. Rosberg finished the season with 385 points, while Hamilton scored 380.
The Mercedes teammates fought for the title throughout the season. Hamilton won more races, taking 10 victories to Rosberg’s 9, but reliability problems and difficult early results affected Hamilton’s final total. Rosberg’s consistency allowed him to lead the standings when it mattered.
Rosberg secured the championship by finishing second at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the final race of 2016. He retired from Formula 1 only days after becoming champion, making his title especially unusual. His victory also continued a family legacy: his father, Keke Rosberg, had won the 1982 world championship.