Nico Rosberg says the pain of losing the 2015 Formula One title to Lewis Hamilton at that year's U.S. Grand Prix in Austin spurred him on to win this year's championship.

Rosberg lost the title with three rounds to spare last year, handing Hamilton the race win he needed in the final laps after making a mistake. After the race, a dejected Rosberg infamously threw a Mercedes cap at his teammate as they waited to take their place on the podium.

However, Hamilton did not win again until May the following year, while Rosberg claimed seven victories in a row -- including the first four of 2016. Rosberg admits he was rejuvenated by the events in Austin.

"It really was a horrible experience for me to lose the championship to Lewis in the way that I did that day," said Rosberg in a video shared on his Facebook.

"I spent two days on my own after that just thinking about that. I'm proud to be able to always come out from difficult moments stronger. I really manage to do that quite well, which I'm proud of.

"And after that race I won seven races on the trot and that definitely the kick-start of this championship. I really gave it everything I had this year. There wasn't a stone that I left unturned in commitment and determination and in avenues to explore to become a better racing driver."

Though a key moment in the championship was Lewis Hamilton's engine failure in Malaysia, Rosberg says the pressure did not start until the following race, where he won in Japan to take Hamilton's destiny out of his own hands.

"The changing moment was Suzuka for me, when all of a sudden had a 33-point lead and that meant that it was in my hands. It's mine to lose, because it was enough to do a second, second, second, and third or whatever. And that's when the pressure really started for me because it became real, the chance to win the championship and beat Lewis."