New F1 champion Nico Rosberg announces shock retirement

If you thought Lewis Hamilton's U-turn on his tactics for last Sunday's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was the final twist in the 2016 Formula 1 world championship, the drivers' title winner Nico Rosberg added a new one by announcing his immediate retirement from F1 at the FIA prize giving gala at Vienna today.

In a ceremony that was just supposed to crown this year's champions in the various series and championships sanctioned by global motorsport's governing body, Rosberg's announcement sent shockwaves throughout the racing world. In a statement released through the 31-year-old's Facebook page, Rosberg said that he admitted the Abu Dhabi GP could be his final race.

He cited that after "reflecting for a day" he informed his wife, manager and then the Mercedes AMG F1 team principal Toto Wolff of his decision to walk away from grand prix racing after having won the biggest prize in motorsport.

While also citing pressures put on his family, Rosberg said he felt no regrets walking away after "the most intense 55 laps" of his life.

The newest F1 champion's shock retirement throws into question who would fill the vacancy left by him at Mercedes. The German manufacturer has two junior drivers in the sport in Esteban Ocon and Pascal Wehrlein. With Ocon already joining Force India after Nico Hulkenberg's move to Renault, the 22-year-old German Wehrlein looks to be the likely candidate.

In hindsight, Rosberg's retirement could also be put down to his numerous on-track run-ins with Hamilton that led to things getting ugly between the two at times. Having won the ultimate prize in racing with the best team and having taken away Hamilton's title from him could be all the validation Rosberg needs for an F1 career that started in 2006 with Williams.

Rosberg started in 206 grands prix and won 23 of them, achieving 57 podium finishes along with 30 pole positions and 20 race fastest laps.