

With nine wins and seven other podiums, Rosberg beat teammate and defending World Champion Lewis Hamilton by five points, ending Hamilton's 2 year dominance. Nico Rosberg won his only World Drivers' Championship title in the final race of the season. The European Grand Prix was also revived, with the event visiting a new circuit in Azerbaijan's capital city, Baku. The calendar similarly expanded, with the return of the German Grand Prix. Renault returned to the sport as a constructor after a four-year absence following their takeover of Lotus prior to the start of the season. The 2016 season saw the grid expand to twenty-two cars with the addition of the Haas F1 Team entry.

Mercedes successfully defended their World Constructors' title in a highly dominant performance, winning 19 of the 21 races ran during the season.
