Nico Rosberg roars in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi - Rosberg lead from start to finish ahead of teammate Hamilton to complete a hat-trick of race wins.

It was the happy ending that Nico Rosberg had envisaged after what had gone down here 12 months ago. A crestfallen Rosberg had left the Yas Marina Circuit a year ago after missing out on becoming a world champion.

His teammate Lewis Hamilton had that honour for a second time after winning the season-finale. He was again bested by the Briton, who sealed a third championship in Austin, Texas, with three races to spare.

But 12 months on, Rosberg wiped off some of that agony, to sign off 2015 on a high. The German conjured a flawless race to win his first Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday.

Rosberg lead from start to finish ahead of teammate Hamilton to complete a hat-trick of race wins. It was his sixth win of the season after victories in Spain, Monaco, Austria, Mexico and Brazil. This was the 14th victory of his career.

The 30-year-old fended off the challenge from Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen when the lights went out and as they headed into Turn 1, to clinch an impressive victory under the lights of the Yas Marina Circuit.

It was another Mercedes one-two with Hamilton second, eight seconds behind Rosberg after the former had opted for a different race strategy. It was the 12th one-two finish for the German manufacturer this season, a new record, as well as their 33rd podium this year, also a new record.

Raikkonen, who was threatened by teammate Sebastian Vettel, came in third, his third podium of the year and the 80th podium of his career.

The Finn finished fourth in the Drivers' Championship after compatriot Valtteri Bottas of Williams, couldn't pose a challenge.

Things got worse for Bottas after an incident with McLaren-Honda's Jenson Button while exiting the pitlane. The race stewards said it was an unsafe release and the Finn was given a five-second time penalty.

Button's rear wing was damaged, while Bottas had front-wing damage and had to pit again for a new nose.

Vettel, who stormed his way through the field from P15, was fourth followed by Sahara Force India's Sergio Perez.

Red Bull Racing's Danile Ricciardo split the Force India's of Perez and Nico Hulkenberg by finishing sixth. Hulkenberg was P7 followed by Williams' Felipe Massa. Romain Grosjean, in his last race with LotusF1, finished ninth. The Frenchman will be driving new American team Haas next season.

Red Bull Racing's Daniil Kvyat completed the top 10.

McLaren-Honda's Fernando Alonso, who collided with LotusF1's Pastor Maldonado in the opening lap on Turn 1, following which he was handed a drive-through penalty, finished 17th. Maldonado was the only retirement of the race filled with thrills and spills.

james@khaleejtimes.com