2016 F1 Season

The 2016 Formula One World Championship, the 70th season of FIA Formula One racing, was a historic and dramatic season. It featured the 67th Formula One World Championship, contested over twenty-one Grands Prix, making it the longest season in the sport’s history. The season started in Australia on 20 March and concluded in Abu Dhabi on 27 November. Nico Rosberg won his first and only World Drivers’ Championship, edging out his teammate and defending champion Lewis Hamilton by just five points in a tense final race. Shortly after his triumph, Rosberg announced his retirement from the sport, marking a surprising end to his career.

Mercedes continued their dominance in the Constructors’ Championship, winning 19 of the 21 races. The season saw the grid expand to twenty-two cars with the addition of the Haas F1 Team. Renault also returned as a constructor after a four-year absence. The European Grand Prix was revived at a new circuit in Baku, Azerbaijan. Daniel Ricciardo finished third in the championship, driving for Red Bull. The 2016 season was notable for its intense rivalry between Rosberg and Hamilton, Rosberg’s unexpected retirement, and Mercedes’ continued supremacy in the sport.