In what will be counted as amongst the closest finishes of recent times thanks to Lewis Hamilton backing his championship rival Nico Rosberg into the third and fourth place drivers Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen respectively, the German survived the pressure to finish second behind Hamilton in first and win his maiden world title.
Twitter was all lit praising the endurance and resilience of the 2016 World Champion. Here are some of the best tweets:
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#Respect 👊#F1Finale #AbuDhabiGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/hzHT8hjID9
— Mercedes-AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) November 27, 2016
It's not just the guys and girls at the track who make these dreams…
It's a cast of hundreds across the world#F1 Champions, every one 👏 pic.twitter.com/epScJAwkfU
— Mercedes-AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) November 27, 2016
A tearful Rosberg: "Very proud to have done the same thing my dad achieved. He's coming here in about half an hour. I'm excited to see him" pic.twitter.com/hdFR3O5nkf
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 27, 2016
Somewhere in there is the 2016 #F1 WORLD CHAMPION!!!! #F1Finale #AbuDhabiGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/x0ooMsZxxV
— Mercedes-AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) November 27, 2016
Well done Nico Rosberg. Joining Piquet and Prost as champions who won less races than their rivals.#AbuDhabiGP #lewistruechamp
— Damion Sizer (@Damionsizer) November 27, 2016
The story of the 2016 season, and how Nico Rosberg became champion in his seventh season with Mercedes #AbuDhabiGP https://t.co/zxYObjth8P pic.twitter.com/5VGMb0e0FZ
— Telegraph Sport (@TelegraphSport) November 27, 2016
Hugs all round for the new world champion…#AbuDhabiGP #F1Finale 🇦🇪 pic.twitter.com/89Dp9JiGDw
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 27, 2016
#AbuDhabiGP last laps seemed a 300kmh chess match. The only drawback: my german friends will say yep the Ferrari is nice but the Mercedes..
— Giovanni Di Lonardo (@dlg_bn) November 27, 2016
THE CROWD SURFING CHAMPION!!!! #F1Finale #AbuDhabiGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/tPJOClPPXR
— Mercedes-AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) November 27, 2016
Donuts, world champion style! 🔄🙌#F1Finale #AbuDhabiGP 🇦🇪 pic.twitter.com/qCtP2slIzt
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 27, 2016
What more can you say about this guy…
A fighter to the last
A Champion, always 👊
What a battle from 4️⃣4️⃣ #F1Finale #AbuDhabiGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/tlmxXrCCeK
— Mercedes-AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) November 27, 2016
Congratulations to @Nico_Rosberg on winning the 2016 F1 Drivers' Championship! 🏆👏 #AbuDhabiGP
Don't worry, no shoeys this time… 😉 pic.twitter.com/l7zZ4YQAnf
— Aston Martin Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) November 27, 2016
Feel the Fourth! 💪🏻😜🏁 #AbuDhabiGP #F1 @f1 @ForceIndiaF1 pic.twitter.com/q9kZmrCnld
— Nico Hülkenberg (@HulkHulkenberg) November 27, 2016
Faster than anyone in the closing stages, a podium and #F1DriverOfTheDay – not a bad #F1Finale for VET and @ScuderiaFerrari pic.twitter.com/QTN3vEXtMT
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 27, 2016
👏🏼 Congratulations to @nico_rosberg, the 2016 #F1 World Champion 🏆🍾 Complimenti!!! 😉
🇦🇪 #AbuDhabiGP 🎆🎉 #F1Finale 🏁
— Toro Rosso (@ToroRosso) November 27, 2016
Cold,frosty frosty, Rosberg and Lewis don't c eye to eye ,well done @ForceIndiaF1 4th position in constructors,pround indians #AbuDhabiGP
— The Lone Wolf 🌈 (@ShantanuVa) November 27, 2016
Lewis had no other race strategy choice today but at the end they should shake & be men about it #bigkids #bbcf1 #AbuDhabiGP
— Mennel (@Mennel79) November 27, 2016
https://twitter.com/leimzz/status/802888589763756032
Sebastian Vettel took a brave and exciting third place to finish off his disaster of a season while the two Red Bulls of Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo finished fourth and fifth.
Force India sealed off the fourth place in constructors after finishing 7th and 8th for Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez respectively. Felipe Massa ended his final world championship on a high finishing 9th and Fernando Alonso finished 10th.
I hope we see HAM and ROS speak their hearts out in the post-race interviews than dish out usual corporate PR crap! #F1 #AbuDhabiGP
— Kunal Shah (@kunalashah) November 27, 2016
What a end to #F1 season well done to new champion @nico_rosberg hopefully next season will be even closer with @LewisHamilton #AbuDhabiGP
— John Eleazu (@johnnyeleazu) November 27, 2016
Talk about Rosbery all you want he won because of the engine blow up in Malaysia for hamilton car #AbuDhabiGP
— mahyar shami (@shamster17) November 27, 2016
Nevertheless a well deserved podium by Ferrari and a amazing recovery effort by max to come back from behind #AbuDhabiGP #F1
— emmxnuel (@emmxnuelm) November 27, 2016
Too busy sulking to even congratulate his team mate. Even Nico swallowed that pill the last 2 seasons. #F1 #AbuDhabiGP #F1Finale
— Jack Fairclough (@jfairclough90) November 27, 2016
Brilliant #Seb5 #AbuDhabiGP 👊🏼🏎 pic.twitter.com/PLl16BQoL4
— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) November 27, 2016
https://twitter.com/macey_sophie/status/802889417954181120
Lewis throwing his toys out of the pram by not congratulating Nico.
Accept when you've lost even if fate hasn't gone your way #AbuDhabiGP— Rushab Shah (@RVS161) November 27, 2016
HAM: "I just want to say thanks to the team and my family. And congratulations to Nico – the new world champion" #AbuDhabiGP pic.twitter.com/dyOyQh6gCQ
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 27, 2016
That was some good racing from vettel 🙂 well done to Lewis!!! Shame you didn't win the championship #AbuDhabiGP
— Becky (@BeckyVere) November 27, 2016
Lewis tried everything but Nico held his own. Both are world champs and both drove like one this year. Fair play to both drivers #AbuDhabiGP
— Have a very Merry Clements!!! (@mr_clements22) November 27, 2016
End of the day, Nico deserved that championship…Wasn't a clean season but it never is. But Nico did it #AbuDhabiGP
— Liam Catterson (@LiamCatterson94) November 27, 2016
Jenson Button, racing his final grand prix had the worst of lucks and had to retire after jumping his car over the kerbs and breaking something with the suspension.
From @JensonButton to the fans: "A massive thank you for your support, it's been a rollercoaster. I'm happy. I had a fantastic career" pic.twitter.com/H6vrSoKC9J
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 27, 2016
A standing ovation from the crowd for @JensonButton
And a hug from his tearful mum as he retires#F1Finale #AbuDhabiGP pic.twitter.com/4pqQ2kSLz4
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 27, 2016
Nico Rosberg has NEVER beaten Lewis Hamilton to a title in his entire motorsport career – until now!
➡️ https://t.co/nPp424jA55 #AbuDhabiGP pic.twitter.com/ntIjKi4G3S
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) November 27, 2016
ROS: "That was not the most enjoyable race I've had! I'm glad it's over and am absolutely ecstatic. The win was for my wife" #AbuDhabiGP pic.twitter.com/1DKEXYJUBC
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 27, 2016
Big love for our champ @LewisHamilton🙌🏾🙌🏿🙌🏼 ❤️All our hearts are always with you. We are so proud. #TeamLH forever #AbuDhabiGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/Jj6ZWPIPVP
— Team LH (@Team_LH) November 27, 2016
"A big congratulations to @Nico_Rosberg. Your first World #Championship! Good job, man." – @LewisHamilton. #AbuDhabiGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/TFDCTAQbjW
— Mobil 1 The Grid (@Mobil1TheGrid) November 27, 2016
Thanks for all the emotions of this season, Seb!
¡Gracias por todas las emociones esta temporada, #Seb5!
👏👏👏#AbuDhabiGP #F1Finale pic.twitter.com/5VqXVIWtxE— Formula Santander (@SantanderGP) November 27, 2016
It’s all over for 2016! HAM wins #AbuDhabiGP, ROS P2 & takes the title, then VET, VES, RIC, RAI, HUL, PER, MAS, Fernando #F1Finale pic.twitter.com/dQPjmF1vzX
— Honda Racing F1 (@HondaRacingF1) November 27, 2016
