For much of the 55 laps the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix reeked of anticlimax. The entire season, given the extent of Mercedes’ dominance, had been a little like that and the rather soulless Yas Marina Circuit has rarely ignited the imagination.

But ultimately there was one of the best finishes of the season, with Lewis Hamilton’s decision to back up the cars behind him, in a far-fetched bid to win the title for a fourth time, producing a slow-mo last few laps of some drama. After Brazil the round before the season has ended on something of a high.

Some thought Hamilton might charge to victory from pole, allowing Nico Rosberg the title but proving a point about his own superiority. Some even doubted his ability to produce a piece of gamesmanship, albeit fully permissible within the rules of the sport, but not a bit of it.

Hamilton happily embraced the tactic of backing second-placed Rosberg – who had only to finish inside the front three – into the jaws of the Ferrari and the Red Bull pursuing him. Mercedes, fearful of losing the race, vainly told him to quicken up. They first asked the driver why he was going so slowly, then said: “Lewis this is an instruction, we need 45.1 for the win.” But Hamilton replied: “I suggest you just let us race.”

With Max Verstappen behind Rosberg and Sebastian Vettel closing fast on fresher rubber, it was a scary moment for Mercedes and Rosberg. The team’s technical director, Paddy Lowe, then came on the radio and said: “Lewis, this is Paddy, we need you to pick up the pace to win this race.” But again the plea fell on deaf ears. Vettel went past Verstappen to take third and then closed on Rosberg with Hamilton making no attempt to stretch out the pack. “Right now I’m losing the world championship, whether I win or lose this race,” Hamilton said.

It was most enjoyable for everyone save Rosberg.

The fact that Hamilton has won 10 races to Rosberg’s nine this year will be of no consolation to him. So Nico became Formula One’s 33rd world champion, 34 years after his father, Keke, got there.

It was another controlled, calculated – if ultimately fraught – race by the German to bring him the title he has always coveted. But, apart from surviving the last, harrowing laps he also showed some courage in his overtaking move on Verstappen to regain second place, almost colliding before surging into the lead.

Both Mercedes got off to a good start but, to Hamilton’s disappointment, both Red Bulls faltered. Hamilton made an early stop, on the seventh lap, and was followed into the pits by Rosberg a lap later.

Rosberg rejoined the action following Verstappen, who had clashed with Nico Hülkenberg at the start but had then carved his way through the field. Mercedes told Rosberg it was important to pass Verstappen and, after a cautious wait, he duly did, thrillingly, through turns eight and nine. After that the main drama came at the end. Hamilton, who has been beating his once close friend Rosberg for most of the past decade and half, might ponder how he has finally lost out to him.

He has been the faster driver this year, and also won more races. He has been at fault this season. There was a flatness about his weekend in Singapore. He has also fluffed his starts on no fewer than five occasions. Place all that alongside the technical issues he has faced. In China he incurred a five-place grid penalty because of an unscheduled gearbox change, also had a DRS failure and eventually started 22nd on the grid, though he did manage to finish seventh.

He qualified 10th in Russia after a DRS problem in Q3 but came second. He was given the wrong engine setting for the race in Baku, crashed in qualifying and started 10th on the grid before finishing fifth. There was a hydraulics problem in Singapore, where he was third, although, as has already been discussed, he did not seem in good form that weekend, in which Rosberg probably had his best performance. Last and most memorably there was that engine blow-out in Malaysia when he was set for an almost certain win. He has rarely appeared so distraught. That was the infamous weekend where he appeared to suggest that somebody didn’t want him to win. “I just can’t believe that there’s eight Mercedes cars and only my engines are the ones that have gone this way,” he said. “Something just doesn’t feel right.” He added that “something or someone” was working against him.

That was the nadir of Hamilton’s 2016 season, until Sunday. A bad-losing Hamilton congratulated Rosberg for his achievement but did so with some churlish reluctance. This prompted the four-times world champion Vettel, who equalled his best performance of the season [third] to say something at the end of the formalities. “I have also one comment to make,” said Vettel. “I think you don’t win the championship by luck. Nico won the championship today.

“He’s a deserved champion. You collect a lot of points throughout the season. Sometimes you might have fortunate situations, or unfortunate situations with your car, but I think there’s been other situations in the past with other drivers, that that’s the way it goes.

“Sometimes you have better years, sometimes worse years but I think today is Nico’s day and it’s a sign of respect and greatness to give him that. I think we owe it to him. He’s a deserved champion.”

Rosberg nodded his appreciation for these few words. Hamilton looked suitably sheepish.