2016 Formula One World Championship podiums, Rosberg beat teammate and defending World Champion Lewis Hamilton by five points. In doing so, Rosberg followed the success of his father in and became the second son of a champion to become champion himself, a feat previously achieved by Damon Hill. Rosberg announced his retirement from the sport shortly after winning the title. As of 2018, this was the only season in the 2010s decade won by a driver other than Sebastian Vettel or Lewis Hamilton. In the World Constructors' Championship, Mercedes successfully defended their title for the second consecutive year, beating Red Bull Racing by 297 points.
Sebastian Vettel going on to describe the events of the first lap as a "racing incident". At the Russian Grand Prix, Vettel retired on the first lap after two consecutive collisions with Red Bull driver Daniil Kvyat. Kvyat was handed a ten-second stop-go penalty and three penalty points on his licence. Vettel came third in the Spanish Grand Prix following Max Verstappen's maiden win in Formula One. He came fourth in the Monaco Grand Prix and second in the Canadian Grand Prix, following Lewis Hamilton's first two wins of the season. At the Mexican Grand Prix, Vettel attempted to overtake Verstappen, but