Nov.27 (GMM) All eyes are on Nico Rosberg as the German bids to win his first world championship on Sunday.
The Mercedes driver insists he is treating Abu Dhabi as any other race, but he appears nervous and has flown in his wife Vivian at the last moment for support.
“It was planned for a long time that she would come,” Rosberg insisted to Bild newspaper.
“I’d like to have her with me at every race, but that’s not possible anymore,” he added, referring to their baby daughter.
However, Nico’s famous father Keke, the 1982 world champion, is not in town, with Rosberg saying his dad will instead watch the race from Monaco.
Niki Lauda, the F1 legend and Mercedes team chairman, told German television RTL he hopes Rosberg slept well after qualifying second on Saturday.
“The first title is always the hardest,” said the Austrian.
“All the way from karts to formula one you only want to be formula one champion. But getting it together the first time is not easy.”
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said one potential headache for Rosberg on Sunday, as he bids simply to finish the race third, is the chasing Red Bulls and Ferraris.
“Red Bull on another strategy and the fast Ferraris is a little headache for us,” Wolff said.
But Rosberg insists he is confident.
“I am looking forward to Lewis, not backwards,” he insisted.
“Of course I have to see the chequered flag, but I would also love to finish this great season with a win.”