Lewis Hamilton vs Nico Rosberg - The Ultimate F1 Showdown
One of the (already) great rivalries in F1 history is about to get very spicy in Abu Dhabi at the Formula 1 World Championship season finale. Will Lewis Hamilton’s recent victory in Brazil drive him towards the crown, or will Rosberg keep his cool and get his hands on the long awaited title?
Much has been said about the two drivers and we want to shed some light on this discussion with some stone cold facts and figures about this 2016 season so far.
Known rivals on track, Hamilton and Rosberg are both after the 2016 title
Fastest Laps of 2016
Rosberg scored double the amount of “fastest laps” compared to Hamilton in the 2016 season.
Rosberg: 6 vs. Hamilton: 3
In fact, Ricciardo scored more (4) in his Red Bull this year. Surely, track position as well as several other factors affect the chances to score the fastest lap of any given race, but considering the pride drivers take in getting the infamous fastest lap, this represents a big plus for Nico Rosberg.
Never pleasant with the second place, Rosberg is looking to claim the title
Podium Finishes
Hamilton scored more podiums in 2016 than Rosberg.
Hamilton: 16 vs. Rosberg: 15
Considering Hamilton’s multiple DNFs, this statistic speaks for Hamilton’s solid race performances this season.
Hamilton is no stranger to victory, and he’s chasing it at 2016 Abu Dhabi
Laps Raced
Rosberg raced more laps than Hamilton this year which surely increases Rosberg’s chances on scoring points, but the difference in the amount of laps is definitely not as big as you might think.
Rosberg: 1147 vs. Hamilton: 1131
Although Rosberg comes out at the top of the difference in laps raced, with it being only 16 in 20 races completed so far, both racers can be said to be at their best, entering the finale practically equal.
Rosberg has kept the bar high from the very start of the season
Starts won
Considering all the 20 starts this season, it might shed light on who can keep their cool better off the line. There were a couple of Mercedes front row lock-outs which we looked at as well.
Rosberg: 11 vs Hamilton: 9
Looking at the 14 front row Mercedes lock-outs, the story is different: Hamilton takes 9, opposed to 5 of Rosberg.
Can Hamilton repeat his victory at Abu Dhabi from 2009
Rosberg vs. Hamilton, a great rivalry brought out by the Mercedes era. It seems like Hamilton has the edge on his teammate looking at statistics and titles won, but on the other hand, a lot of indicators are pointing towards Nico Rosberg at the end of this year. One thing is for certain: it’s not easy to drive against Lewis and still stay hungry and fight every session, every weekend. Rosberg never accepted the role of driver number 2 and can now put the ultimate proof on the table by winning the world championship!
Video : The rivalry between Rosberg and Hamilton extends even beyond the track
Check out the current 2016 Formula 1 driver standings
Photos: bleacherreport.com, wikipedia.org, mercedes-seite.de, 3legs4wheels.com.
