Rosberg not planning to hold back in F1 title decider

Formula One points leader Nico Rosberg says he wants to cap his strong 2016 campaign with a win, despite the Mercedes driver only needing a podium finish to seal his first world title.

The German enters the season-ending weekend at Yas Marina with a 12-point edge over team-mate Lewis Hamilton, who has cut the gap from 33 with a trio of consecutive victories.

“It feels great to be in the world championship battle with Lewis for a third year in a row,” said Rosberg, who lost out to his British rival in the past two years.

“I will give it everything to end the season with a win. I've had a great week, relaxing and catching up with my family and friends, so I feel like I'm in a good place.”

Rosberg has been steadfast in his race-by-race approach all year long. As the stakes get higher, the 31-year-old claims he won’t change his mindset.

“In Brazil, after the race, I was joking that I would still be taking things one race at a time. But, the more I think about it, the more that's actually not as crazy as it sounds. I have to treat this like any other race.

“Doing a good job on a Grand Prix weekend is always a challenge. Nothing in this sport is easy, so this won't be any different and I still have to go all out for a good result.

“I have great memories from winning at this track last year and it's somewhere I've usually been strong in the past, so I have every reason to feel confident.”

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