Lewis Hamilton has become the first British driver to successfully defend his Formula One title. Here, Press Association Sport looks back at seven key moments in this year's championship race.
1. Hamilton's perfect start
After splitting with long-term girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger and subsequently hopping from one A-List party to another, many paddock observers feared Hamilton was not ready to defend his Formula One crown. They need not have worried. The Briton started in emphatic form at the season opener in Australia, securing pole by some margin from Nico Rosberg before sealing a crushing victory. "Lewis made no mistakes and I wasn't able to get close to him, let alone try to overtake," said Rosberg, in an admission which would set the tone for the remainder of the campaign.
2. A losing battle for Rosberg
Rosberg accused Hamilton of destroying his race in China by backing him into the clutches of Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel. In a toe-curling post-race interview Rosberg, with a rather bemused Hamilton sitting alongside him, said: "It's just now interesting to hear from you Lewis, you were just thinking about yourself with the pace in front and that was compromising my race." Hamilton, who stormed to victory with Rosberg finishing second, replied: "It's not my job to look after Nico's race. If Nico wanted to get by he could have tried but he didn't." Rosberg, it appeared, was now losing the battle off the track as well as on it.
3. Moment of madness in Monaco
With Hamilton cruising towards his fourth victory from the opening six races, the Briton and his Mercedes team took the bizarre decision to stop for tyres under the safety car. With overtaking notoriously difficult at the narrow street circuit, neither Rosberg nor Vettel pitted which meant he finished third. But instead of launching his toys out of the pram, Hamilton was magnanimous in defeat and he bounced back at the next race in Canada, sauntering to victory from pole.
4. Hamilton's brave call at Silverstone
Hamilton won in front of a bumper 120,000 home crowd but his victory was far from straightforward. The Briton was third at the end of lap one after he was beaten off the line by both Williams drivers, and while he managed to move back into the lead at the first round of pit stops, a late shower wreaked havoc in the closing stages. In the inclement conditions, Rosberg was catching Hamilton before the Briton pulled off a masterstoke by stopping for wet tyres as the rain began to intensify. It was a decision which won Hamilton the race. He later admitted it was the best strategic call of his career.
5. Rosberg fails to capitalise on Hamilton off-day
Hamilton's lead over Rosberg stood at 17 points as they arrived in Hungary. Hamilton started on pole but was 10th by the end of the first lap after running off the track. He fought his way back through the field but then clashed with Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo and appeared on course to finish out of the points. With Rosberg second, the German looked to be heading to the summit of the championship, but in a thrilling finale Rosberg also tangled with Ricciardo and ultimately crossed the line in eighth, with Hamilton two places above him in the order. It was a huge let-off for Hamilton and one which epitomised Rosberg's faltering challenge this season.
6. Rosberg out-muscled by Hamilton
Mercedes were mysteriously off the pace at the previous round in Singapore but were back on song in Japan. Rosberg headed into the race 41 points adrift of Hamilton, but finished even further behind after he was out-muscled by his Mercedes team-mate through turns one and two on the opening lap despite starting on pole. From there, the British driver never looked back and turned in an exhibition display to join his idol Ayrton Senna on 41 grands prix victories. He was now 48 points clear of Rosberg with just five races remaining.
7. Rosberg slips up in United States
Rosberg appeared set to deny Hamilton the championship in Austin as he led the race in the closing stages. But with only seven laps of one of the most enthralling races in recent memory left, Rosberg made an unforced error and ran off the road. Hamilton passed his team-mate and went on to win his third world title in the most dramatic of circumstances.
Source: PA
