The Formula One season comes down to the final race in Abu Dhabi at the Yas Marina Circuit and, while Lewis Hamilton is still in the title race, Nico Rosberg remains firmly in control with a 12-point lead.
But there are a number of different scenarios in which Hamilton can win. If Rosberg finishes fourth and Hamilton wins the race for example, the Briton will win the drivers’ championship.
So let’s see if you can make the correct decisions, and guide Lewis to the title. Start with number one, then choose which decision you want to make and skip down to the corresponding number.
1) You arrive at Yas Marina Circuit for qualifying and the nerves are setting in. Everyone’s asking for autographs and your opinion on the title race between you and Rosberg, and you feel a bit tired.
Do you go for a nap with some music (go to number 2), or go straight to the mechanics for an additional chat (skip straight to number 3)?
2) You go for a nap and dream of Ayrton Senna, your hero. You picture his outrageous overtakes and are inspired.
Do you decide to try your hardest to race for pole position (go to number 4), or deliberately ease off in qualifying so you can cause trouble from behind (go to number 5)?
3) You go straight to the mechanics, who have the time to take you to one side and let you know that Rosberg has had downforce problems with his car. No such issues for you, and your superior downforce will stand you in good stead in the corners in comparison with the rest of the field.
Do you tell Rosberg and try to put him off (go to number 6), or keep it to yourself (go to number 7)?
4) You focus purely on securing pole, and duly finish first. Rosberg qualifies down in fifth after a few issues with the car. The only problem is that the young and adventurous Belgian Max Verstappen is second, and is quick off the start.
Do you defend your position from Verstappen (8) or let first place go and settle into second (9)?
5) You ease off in Q3, but a bit too much. Jenson Button, of all people, qualifies ahead of you on his final race in the sport, and you finish eighth. You get a great start however and go to fourth, overtaking Button and going a place behind Rosberg.
Do you opt to aggressively overtake (10), or sit behind him and bide your time (11)?
6) Rosberg blocks you off numerous times in Q3 and, despite your protestations, he goes unpunished. The result is that you go fourth and he goes fifth.
The race begins, do you try to stop Rosberg overtaking you (12), or ignore him and focus on overtaking Sebastian Vettel, who is third (13)?
7) You keep it to yourself, and have Rosberg on toast during qualifying. You achieve pole, while he finishes sixth, but Verstappen is second.
Off the line, do you defend your position from Verstappen (8), or let it go and take second for now until the traffic subsides (9)?
8) You defend from Verstappen, and it works! The 19-year-old tries his hardest to get around you, but your experience tells and you stay first, with Rosberg stuck in sixth. As it stands, you win.
Now there’s rain. Felipe Massa has made up eight places on the wet tyres and has broken into the top 10, but the team aren’t bringing you in.
Do you force the team to pit you and put you on wet tyres (14), or trust them and stay out on the track on your intermediates (15)?
9) You opt to allow Verstappen through, but oh no! Sebastian Vettel goes through as well, and you slip to third. Meanwhile Rosberg, encouraged by your mistake, makes up one place to fifth. It’s getting tense.
But you’re not going to win the championship as it stands. There’s rain, and Rosberg’s slipped to fifth. You need to win the race to win the title if Rosberg stays where he is.
Do you go for broke and risk crashing in the slippery rain (16), or stay where you are, defend third place, and hope Rosberg makes a mistake (17)?
10) Oh, Hamilton. You go for the headline overtake, but misjudge it, and clip Rosberg’s rear tyre. You both crash out and Rosberg dances around in celebration as your DNF means he wins the drivers’ championship. That’s not going to look good on Instagram. ROSBERG WINS.
11) You wait, and Rosberg gets worried. He defends a line he thinks you’ll use to overtake him, but you stay where you are and he temporarily goes off the track, allowing you to overtake. You’re third and he’s fourth!
But you’re not going to win the championship as it stands. There’s rain, everyone’s on intermediate tyres, and Rosberg’s slipped to fifth.
You need to win the race to win the title, so do you go for broke and risk crashing in the slippery rain (16), or stay where you are and defend third place (17)?
12) You try to defend from Rosberg, and it works! He tries a few moves, but his inferior racing ability means he can’t get past you. He falls to sixth, while you move up to third. Meanwhile Button’s engine has failed, and he waves a teary goodbye to the crowd as he makes his way back to the paddock.
It starts raining a little, and everyone’s going to full wet tyres while you’re still on intermediates. Do you stick with your inters (18), or go to wet tyres instead (19)?
13) You ignore Rosberg and try to overtake Kimi Raikkonen instead, but having got past him, you fail to notice Rosberg has gone up the inside! You go to avoid him, crash with Raikkonen, and are out. ROSBERG WINS!
14) You force the team to pit so you can receive wet tyres, but the rain stops after you get back on to the track! You slip down to third, and while Rosberg stays in sixth, it’s not enough to take the title off him. YOU LOSE.
15) You trust the team, and by goodness it wins you the drivers’ title. It stops raining, and your intermediate tyres are just right for the conditions. Rosberg stays sixth and you stay first. You dedicate the title to Button, who joins you on the podium in emotional scenes. YOU WIN.
16) You go for it, but it’s not enough. You can only overtake Vettel with a few laps to go, while Verstappen holds you off with some textbook defending. Rosberg wins the drivers’ title, and immediately announces his retirement from the sport – Verstappen replaces him and will be your team-mate next season. ROSBERG WINS.
17) You stay and defend third, and in the slippery rain, Rosberg crashes out! Third is enough for you to win the title, but there’s one last hurdle to clear.
On the penultimate lap you spin, but manage to keep your car on the track. The result is that you’ve gone down to fifth, and you need to finish third or higher. You have two opportunities with which to overtake Felipe Massa and Daniel Ricciardo ahead of you.
Do you go for the double overtake on the long straight (20), or attempt to overtake both of them on the corner (21)?
18) You stay with your intermediates and the rain magically stops! That means you’re well placed to retain your position, and while Rosberg goes up to fifth, crucially you cruise to first place! You celebrate with a series of excellent Snapchat posts with Massa, who pinched a podium in his final race. YOU WIN!
19) You go to wet tyres, but oh dear, the rain stops. The cars behind you have stuck with intermediate tyres, and you fall down to fourth place. Rosberg manages to hold on to sixth, and emulates his father, Keke Rosberg, by winning the Formula One drivers’ championship. YOU LOSE.
20) Remember what the mechanics told you? You should have waited for the corner where your superior downforce would have sealed the overtake. You try to take the position on the straight, but it’s not good enough. You only make up one place, overtaking Massa, and Rosberg celebrates in the paddock with a cake. YOU LOSE.
21) Remember what the mechanics told you? You wait for the corner, and while Massa and Ricciardo run wide, your downforce allows you to stay on the racing line, even in the wet. You move up to third and win the drivers’ championship for a fourth time! Rosberg announces his retirement, and Verstappen is announced as your new team-mate. YOU WIN.
