The season began in Australia on 20 March and concluded in Abu Dhabi on 27 November. The grid expanded to twenty-two cars with the addition of the Haas F1 Team entry. Renault returned to the sport as a constructor after a four-year absence, following their takeover of Lotus prior to the start of the season. The calendar also expanded with the return of the German Grand Prix and the revival of the European Grand Prix, which visited a new circuit in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Nico Rosberg won his only World Drivers' Championship title in the final race of the season. With nine wins and seven other podiums, Rosberg beat teammate and defending World Champion Lewis Hamilton by five points, despite Hamilton winning more races. Rosberg announced his retirement from the sport shortly after winning the title. In the World Constructors' Championship, Mercedes successfully defended their title for the second consecutive year with a then-record points tally of 765 points, beating Red Bull Racing by 297 points. Ferrari finished third overall.
Several team changes occurred before the season. The Haas F1 Team joined the grid, becoming the first American team to compete since the unrelated Haas Lola team in 1986. They used Ferrari power units and a chassis developed by Dallara. Renault returned as a full factory-supported team after purchasing Lotus from Genii Capital. Both Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso underwent changes regarding their power unit supply. Red Bull Racing continued using Renault engines, rebadged as TAG Heuer, while Scuderia Toro Rosso returned to using Ferrari power units. Marussia changed its name to Manor Racing and switched from Ferrari to Mercedes power.
Driver line-ups also saw changes. Romain Grosjean joined the newly formed Haas F1 Team, partnered by Esteban Gutiérrez. Renault introduced a new driver line-up with Jolyon Palmer making his race debut, replacing Pastor Maldonado. Manor signed rookies Pascal Wehrlein and Rio Haryanto. Mid-season, Fernando Alonso was ruled out of the Bahrain Grand Prix due to injury and was replaced by Stoffel Vandoorne. Daniil Kvyat and Max Verstappen traded places ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix, with Verstappen promoted to Red Bull Racing. Rio Haryanto lost his race seat after the German Grand Prix and was replaced by Esteban Ocon.
The calendar featured twenty-one Grands Prix. The European Grand Prix returned after a three-year absence, held at a new street circuit in Baku. The German Grand Prix also returned, taking place at the Hockenheimring. The FIA and Formula One Management were granted greater power to change regulations. Technical changes included a requirement for separate wastegates to increase car noise and an increase in power unit development tokens. Sporting regulations saw the number of pre-season tests reduced from three to two. Tyre supplier Pirelli introduced a fifth dry tyre compound, the "ultrasoft," and brought three dry compounds to races instead of two. The qualifying process was heavily revised before the season, but following widespread criticism, the system used between 2006 and 2015 was re-introduced at the Chinese Grand Prix.
The season started with the Australian Grand Prix, where Mercedes achieved a 1–2 finish with Nico Rosberg taking victory. The newly introduced elimination-style qualifying format was heavily criticized and later abandoned. At the Bahrain Grand Prix, Rosberg secured his second consecutive victory. The Chinese Grand Prix saw Rosberg take his third consecutive victory. Before the Spanish Grand Prix, Daniil Kvyat and Max Verstappen swapped places, and Verstappen became the youngest race winner. Lewis Hamilton secured his first win of the season at Monaco and then won the Canadian Grand Prix. Rosberg won the returning European Grand Prix. Hamilton won the Austrian Grand Prix and the British Grand Prix, reducing Rosberg's championship lead. Hamilton took the championship lead at the Hungarian Grand Prix and further consolidated it at the German Grand Prix. Rosberg won the Belgian Grand Prix and the Italian Grand Prix, reducing Hamilton's lead. Rosberg reclaimed the championship lead in Singapore. Mercedes's streak of ten consecutive wins ended in Malaysia, where Daniel Ricciardo won. Rosberg extended his championship lead in Japan, where Mercedes secured their third consecutive World Constructors' Championship title. Hamilton then won the United States Grand Prix, Mexican Grand Prix, and Brazilian Grand Prix, eroding Rosberg's lead. Going into the final round at Abu Dhabi, Rosberg led Hamilton by twelve points. Hamilton won the race, but Rosberg secured his maiden Drivers' Championship title with second place.
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