Berlin - Germany's Nico Rosberg stands a very good chance of winning his first Formula One title in the season's final race, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, on Sunday.
As it stands, the Mercedes driver is 12 points ahead of team-mate and reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton in the standings.
However, Hamilton is certainly not out of the running, but in order for the British driver to win the championship, one of the following three scenarios will have to play out:
Hamilton will win the title:
- If he wins the Abu Dhabi race, and Rosberg finishes fourth or lower
- He finishes second, and Rosberg finishes outside the top six
- He finishes third, and Rosberg finishes outside the top eight
Rosberg will take the title:
- If he finishes on the podium, regardless of where Hamilton finishes
- He finishes sixth or higher, and Hamilton does not win
- He finishes eighth or higher, and Hamilton is no higher than third
- Hamilton finishes fourth or lower, regardless of where Rosberg finishes
Rosberg treating finale "like any other race"
Nico Rosberg is tr ying to treat the Abu Dhabi finale "like any other race".
The Mercedes driver, who won last season in Abu Dhabi, needs to finish on the podium to clinch the title ahead of team-mate Lewis Hamilton, even if the Briton wins.
"I will give it everything to end the season with a win," Rosberg said on the Formula One website.
"In Brazil, after the race, I was joking that I would still be taking things one race at a time. But, the more I think about it, the more that's actually not as crazy as it sounds. I have to treat this like any other race."
"Impossible odds" for Hamilton
Hamilton still has hopes he can win a third straight world title and a fourth of his career after making it three wins in a row with his first victory at the Brazilian GP.
"It's not been a perfect season and I'm faced with pretty impossible odds no matter what I do this weekend," he said.
"But I can't and won't give up. You never know what might happen - however unlikely it may seem."
Mercedes motorsport chief Toto Wolff said the team's final duty of the season would be to give Rosberg and Hamilton the platform to race to the end.
"Both of them have been exceptional and either one would make a worthy champion," he said.
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