Welcome to ESPN's live coverage of the title showdown in Abu Dhabi

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16:59: Hamilton leads the field away and the formation lap has begin. Not long to go now. Who will come away with the 2016 F1 title? Stay with ESPN to find out.

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16:56: Just a few minutes to go until the formation lap gets underway.

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16:53 The drivers are heading to the grid and getting into their respective cars. We are just over five minutes away.

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16:50: Behind the Mercedes duo, Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo (3rd), Ferrari pair Kimi Raikkonen (4th) and Sebastian Vettel (5th), and Max Verstappen (6th) could all play a deciding factor in the championship showdown, if they can challenge Mercedes.

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16:45: 15 minutes to go until lights out in the final race of 2016.

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16:43: Reliability could prove to be a deciding factor in this race too. If Hamilton suffers a DNF his title hopes are over, while any problems for Rosberg -- similar to the engine problems he suffered here in 2014 -- could swing the momentum right back into Hamilton's favour.

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16:40: Of course there are a number of different title permutations but to put it simply, Rosberg just needs a podium finish while a win provides Hamilton with his best chance, if Rosberg finishes fourth or lower.

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16:35: Hamilton starts on pole, with Rosberg 0.3s further back in second. Hamilton's title hopes are out of his hands and even taking a victory today would not guarantee him his fourth world title. A podium finish for Rosberg would see him seal his maiden title, regardless of where Hamilton finishes.

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16:31: Here we go then, it's all come down to this. One of either Nico Rosberg or Lewis Hamilton will be crowned F1 world champion later today.

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Lap 1

Lights out and the 2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is go!

Hamilton leads the way from Rosberg. Verstappen gets spun around and falls to the back.

Lap 2

An action packed start to the race. Hamilton has done all he needs to do so far and leads Rosberg by six tenths.

Hulkenberg dives down the inside of Perez to take sixth place as the Force Indias dice early on.

Magnussen has come into the pits for a new nosecone, following first lap contact.

Ricciardo dropped to fourth at the start following a poor getaway. He is fourth behind Raikkonen.

Lap 3

Hamilton continues to lead, his advantage over Rosberg is 0.8s.

Verstappen passes Grosjean to move up to 15th place as he recovers from that first lap spin.

Lap 4

Replays show Verstappen made contact with Hulkenberg, which caused his spin.

"I didn't get much space there," Verstappen reports.

Lap 5

Hamilton sets a new fastest lap of the race on a 1:46.292s.

Palmer has made an excellent start to move up to 11th, having started 14th.

Verstappen gets passed Kvyat for 13th as he continues to make progress through the field.

Lap 6

Magnussen is set to become the first retirement from this race. He is told to pit by his team.

Lap 7

Another fastest lap from Hamilton on a 1:46.191s.

Bottas gets wheeled back into his Williams garage and becomes the second retirement.

Hamilton is told to box by Mercedes.

Verstappen is already up to 10th.

Hamilton pits and is slightly held up by Raikkonen, who also pitted.

Lap 8

Hamilton returns to the track in seventh, just ahead of Verstappen.

Rosberg is also told to pit at the end of this lap.

Rosberg is held up as well as Vettel comes in to the pits.

Lap 9

Rosberg returns to the track just ahead of Raikkonen.

Rosberg is right on the back of Verstappen.

Lap 10

Many drivers head in for their pit stops.

Rosberg is told he needs to get past Verstappen, who has been told to stay out.

Verstappen holds off Rosberg as he tries to find a way through heading into the final sector.

Lap 11

So Hamilton leads from Verstappen and Rosberg. Raikkonen and Ricciardo are not far behind.

This is beginning to get very interesting indeed.

Lap 12

Rosberg remains 0.8s behind Verstappen. Mercedes has advised Rosberg not to take any risks when trying to get past Verstappen.

Perez, with DRS assistance, surges past Button to move up to 8th.

"Something feels a bit wrong with the steering. Yeah we've got a failure guys," says Button. He looks to be out of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. That's not the way the Briton would have wanted to end what could be his last F1 race.

Lap 13

Button brings his ailing McLaren into the pitlane, and receives a standing ovation from the crowd in the main grandstand.

"I don't think we've ever had a failure like that."

Lap 14

Hamilton leads by 1.8s to Verstappen, who is still ahead of championship leader Rosberg.

As things stand, Rosberg would win the title by just two points.

Lap 15

"This is all we need at the moment Max, just keep it clean," Verstappen is told.

Hamilton picks up the pace at the front, setting a new fastest lap on a 1:46.107s.

Lap 16

Kvyat is slow along the back straight and eventually peels off track. He is the latest retirement from this race.

Lap 17

Hamilton leads by 2.8s.

"There's a lot of overall sliding on these tyres," reports Hamilton.

Alonso goes around the outside of Grosjean to move up into the points.

Lap 18

"OK tyre temps are cool front and rear," Hamilton is warned by Mercedes.

Rosberg is currently 4.8s off the race lead.

Lap 19

Ricciardo lunges down the inside of Raikkonen but runs slightly wide and has to concede position back to the Finn.

Lap 20

"It's critical now that we get past Verstappen," Mercedes tells Rosberg.

and Rosberg answers Mercedes call to make the move. He is up to second and is well on course for the world championship.

Lap 21

The order is now Hamilton from Rosberg and Verstappen, with Raikkonen in fourth ahead of Ricciardo and Vettel.

Lap 22

Verstappen pits for a set of softs.

Now in clean air, Rosberg is able to set a fastest lap on a 1:46.022s.

"The next three laps are critical Nico. Verstappen is going to the end," Rosberg is informed.

Lap 23

Rosberg has set another new fastest lap on a 1:45.975s.

Lap 24

A third consecutive fastest lap from Rosberg, who is doing everything Mercedes has asked of him.

Lap 25

Ricciardo pits for Red Bull as Rosberg sets another fastest lap.

It's a 2.3s stop for Ricciardo, who switches onto the soft tyre.

Lap 26

Rosberg is 4s behind Hamilton, while Raikkonen dives into the pit lane for a set of softs.

Both Verstappen and Ricciardo have jumped Raikkonen.

Verstappen makes up another position as he passes Perez for fifth.

Lap 27

Rosberg sets his fifth fastest lap in six as he brings the gap to Hamilton down to 3.2s.

Ricciardo moves into fifth with a pass on Perez. Raikkonen isn't far behind.

Lap 28

Perez pits, which allows Raikkonen up to sixth.

Verstappen, who is now fourth, has just set the fastest lap of the race on a 1:45.3.

Hamilton is told to pit again at the end of this lap.

Hamilton comes in and goes onto the soft compound tyre.

Lap 29

Rosberg is also told to come in.

Rosberg pits and also switches onto the soft tyre.

Lap 30

It's a 2.3 second stop for Rosberg, who returns to the track behind Hamilton but crucially ahead of both Red Bulls.

Vettel, who is yet to stop for a second time, leads the grand prix.

Lap 31

Rosberg is just 1.4s behind Hamilton.

Lap 32

Rosberg is really gaining on Hamilton now. The German is just outside of DRS range.

"Just wondering why you are so slow?" Mercedes asks Hamilton.

Lap 33

"Hows this pace," Hamilton asks.

"We'd be happy with a 45.3."

Which is exactly what Hamilton sets on his latest lap.

Lap 34

Vettel leads by 6.5 seconds but is expected to make another stop.

Verstappen is around 4s behind Rosberg at this stage.

Lap 35

Hulkenberg makes a move under braking on Alonso's McLaren to snatch seventh place.

Hamilton asks which position he is in. Mercedes reply and tell him that he needs to do more management into Turn 2.

Lap 36

Perez also gets past Alonso to knock the Spaniard down to ninth.

Vettel says his tyres are nearing the end of their life. Hamilton is now just 4.5s down on the German.

Lap 37

Hamilton is just managing his pace to Rosberg, ensuring the German does not get within DRS range.

"You need to get me in before they catch me," reports Ericsson.

Lap 38

Vettel pits from the lead and heads back out on supersofts.

Meanwhile Ocon and Nasr have come together down at Turn 8 and 9, with the Manor shedding a section of its front wing into the path of Palmer's Renault.

Lap 39

Hamilton is now back in the lead of the race and heads Rosberg by 1.3s.

Palmer lunges past Ericsson into Turn 8, before Sainz sweeps past the Swede along the next straight.

Lap 40

Vettel sets a new fastest lap of the race on a 1:44.094s.

Lap 41

Hamilton is catching the back of Sainz and Palmer as he looks to lap the pair.

Vettel moves past Raikkonen with ease to move up to fifth place.

Lap 42

"You need to give me the times of other cars please," Hamilton pleads with Mercedes.

Ricciardo is getting held up behind the squabbling pair of Sainz and Palmer.

Lap 43

Palmer and Sainz then come together in the final sector. Palmer pits but Sainz stays out.

Palmer is now under investigation for causing a collision.

Lap 44

Sainz pulls off circuit and reports a gearbox problem.

The Spaniard gets going again as he attempts to make it back to the pits.

Vettel sets a new fastest lap on a 1:43.729s.

Lap 45

Hamilton is urged to pick up the pace once more from Mercedes, with Vettel fast-approaching.

Lap 46

Heading into the final 10 laps and just 6s separates the top six drivers.

Vettel blasts past Ricciardo along the second back straight to move into fifth.

Lap 47

"OK this is an instruction, we need 45.1s to win this race," Mercedes tells Hamilton.

Just 0.9s between Hamilton and Rosberg.

Lap 48

Hamilton responded to Mercedes with: "I suggest you let us race."

Lap 49

Hamilton's pace is slowing if anything. He's only managing 1.45.8s.

Lap 50

Vettel is gaining on Verstappen as he looks to snatch third place.

Lap 51

Vettel sweeps around the outside of Verstappen and is up to third.

Lap 52

Paddy Lowe comes over team radio to tell Hamilton to pick the pace up.

Hamilton responds: "I'm actually pretty comfortable now."

Lap 53

Three laps to go and Vettel is just 1.6s off Rosberg.

Lap 54

Two laps to go.

"Right now I'm losing the world championship, so I'm not really bothered If I win or lose this race," says Hamilton.

Lap 55

Hamilton starts his final lap.

Hamilton crosses the line to win but Rosberg comes home in second place to become the 2016 F1 world champion.

Vettel completes the podium ahead of Verstappen.

Ricciardo is fifth, ahead of Raikkonen, Hulkenberg and Perez, while Massa and Alonso round out the top 10.

Massa completes some celebratory donuts, as does Rosberg.

That's a wrap on our live coverage of the 2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and indeed the 2016 season. Thank you for joining us and we will see you again in 2017, where Rosberg will be attempting to defend his first F1 title.