FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, November 22nd, 2016

LEWIS HAMILTON AND NICO ROSBERG DUEL FOR THE 2016 FORMULA ONE DRIVERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP AT THE ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX SUNDAY AT 7:30 A.M ET ON NBCSN

Mercedes Teammates and Rivals Clash in 2016 F1 Season Finale with Championship on the Line

NBC Sports Group to Provide Comprehensive Live F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying and Race Coverage on NBCSN, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app

Sunday’s Race Coverage on NBCSN Begins with F1 Countdown at 7 a.m. ET

STAMFORD, Conn. – Nov. 22, 2016 – Mercedes teammates and rivals Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg will duel for the Formula One Drivers’ Championship at the 2016 season finale, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, this Sunday at 7:30 a.m. ET on NBCSN.

NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app — NBC Sports Group’s live streaming platforms for desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs — will provide live streaming coverage of practice, qualifying, and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Hamilton, a three-time F1 Drivers’ champion and two-time defending champion, has won three consecutive races to pull within 12 points of Rosberg. Despite Hamilton’s run, he will need to win this weekend and will require some help to overtake Rosberg. If Rosberg secures a podium finish at Abu Dhabi this weekend, he will win his first career title, regardless of Hamilton’s finish.

Following are permutations for a third-consecutive Drivers’ Championship for Hamilton.

HOW HAMILTON CAN WIN THE TITLE

If Hamilton finishes in… And Rosberg finishes…
First place Fourth place or worse
Second place Seventh place or worse
Third place Ninth place or worse

 

Hamilton has won twice at Yas Marina Circuit (2011 & 2014), but Rosberg has bragging rights as the most recent victor in Abu Dhabi with his win last season over Hamilton by eight seconds.

This will be the second consecutive weekend in which NBC Sports has presented a major racing circuit championship. Last week at Homestead in Miami, Daniel Suarez and Jimmie Johnson captured the NASCAR XFINITY and Sprint Cup Series Championships on NBCSN and NBC. Earlier this year, NBCSN telecast coverage of the Grand Prix of Sonoma, as Simon Pagenaud captured his first career season title in the Verizon IndyCar Series. NBC Sports Group is the home of motorsports and is the only sports-media company to annually broadcast all three major circuit championships.

Live coverage begins exclusively on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app on Friday at 4 a.m. ET with Practice 1, followed by NBCSN’s live coverage of Practice 2 at 8 a.m. ET. Streaming coverage on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app continues with Practice 3 on Saturday at 5 a.m. ET, followed by live qualifying on CNBC at 8 a.m. ET. NBCSN will air an encore presentation of qualifying on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. ET.

Live Abu Dhabi Grand Prix race coverage begins Sunday at 7 a.m. ET with F1 Countdown, and F1 Extra will recap the race at 10 a.m. ET.

Lead play-by-play announcer Leigh Diffey will call this weekend’s action, and will be joined by veteran analyst and former racecar driver David Hobbs, and analyst and former race mechanic for the Benetton F1 team Steve Matchett. F1 insider Will Buxton will report on-site from Yas Marina Circuit in the United Arab Emirates. NBCSN will also present the GP2 race from Abu Dhabi on Sunday at 6 a.m. ET.

In addition to this week’s F1 coverage, NBCSN will air a 10-hour Mecum Auctions marathon on Thanksgiving, beginning at 7 a.m. ET. The Mecum marathon will feature highlights from this year’s auctions in Denver, Kansas City, and Kissimmee.

Following is this week’s NBC Sports Group motorsports coverage schedule:

DATE COVERAGE NETWORK TIME (ET)
Thurs., November 24 Best of Mecum Auctions – Denver NBCSN 7 a.m.
  Best of Mecum Auctions – Kansas City NBCSN 9 a.m.
  Best of Mecum Auctions – Kissimmee NBCSN 11 a.m.
  Best of Mecum Auctions – Denver NBCSN 2:30 p.m.
Fri., November 25 F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Practice 1 Streaming 4 a.m.
  /DRIVE on NBCSN – Autonomous NBCSN 7 a.m.
  /DRIVE on NBCSN – Colorado NBCSN 7:30 a.m.
  F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Practice 2 NBCSN 8 a.m.
  Off The Grid – Japan NBCSN 9:30 a.m.
  /DRIVE on NBCSN – Turbocharged NBCSN 10 a.m.
  APEX: The Story of the Hypercar NBCSN 10:30 a.m.
Sat., November 26 F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Practice 3 Streaming 5 a.m.
  F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Qualifying CNBC 8 a.m.
  F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Qualifying (Encore) NBCSN 2:30 p.m.
Sun., November 27 GP2 – Abu Dhabi NBCSN 6 a.m.
  F1 Countdown NBCSN 7 a.m.
  F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix NBCSN 7:30 a.m.
  F1 Extra NBCSN 10 p.m.
  NASCAR XFINITY Series Awards Show NBCSN 8 p.m.

 

MOTORSPORTS ON NBCSPORTS.COM AND THE NBC SPORTS APP: NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app — NBC Sports Group’s live streaming platforms for desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs — will provide live streaming coverage of this weekend’s motorsports content via “TV Everywhere,” giving consumers additional value to for their subscription service, and making high quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms.

NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app are powered by Playmaker Media and available on the iTunes App Store, Google Play, Windows Store, Roku Channel Store, Apple TV and Amazon Fire.

NASCAR TALKNASCAR TALK provides the most comprehensive and up-to-date NASCAR coverage, including Sprint Cup, XFINITY, and Camping World Truck Series. The site also promotes videos from NBCSN’s NASCAR AMERICA. Fans can follow @NASCARTalkNBC on Twitter.

MOTORSPORTSTALK: MotorSportsTalk (@MotorSportsTalk) on NBCSports.com brings racing fans up-to-the-minute news, video and information on Formula One, the Verizon IndyCar Series, and other open-wheel and off-road racing from around the world. The site also serves as the destination for all news, analysis and video from NBC and NBCSN productions of IndyCar and F1, including contributions from on-air commentators.

SOCIAL: NBC Sports Group will continue to provide comprehensive motorsports social coverage across Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. On Twitter, fans can follow @MotorsportsTalk for all-encompassing content across NBC Sports Group’s motorsports properties. @NASCARonNBC and@NASCARTalkNBC share the latest NASCAR content, @F1onNBCSports provides the latest news in Formula One, and @IndyCaronNBCSN delivers up-to-the-minute information on the Verizon IndyCar Series.

In addition, the NASCAR on NBC Facebook page will provide users with videos, interactive content and much more. Fans should also “like” NBC Sports on Facebook for the most up-to-date news, videos and commentary about NBC Sports Group’s motorsports properties.

For more information about NBC Sports Group shows and properties, including press releases, photos, talent and executive bios and headshots, please visit NBCSportsGroupPressBox.com.

– NBC SPORTS GROUP –