Fifteen minutes and we have our first times on the board. Nico Rosberg crosses the line to do a 1:43.873 before Lewis Hamilton does a 1:44.133. 

First blood to Rosberg.

Image source, Jenson Button

Like mum at the Christmas family gathering, I'm going to delve into the Jenson Button album and pull out some pictures from the past. Here's a fresh faced Button back in the year 2000. Angelic.

Chris Marsh: Button's best moments: Just seeing his eyes widen mockingly when he is in his helmet and sees the camera on him. I will miss it!  

Ed Archer: Hockenheim 2004, he didn't win the race but showed all the skills required - blistering speed, 'helmetgate' and that pass on Alonso.  

Image source, Rex Features

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer in Abu Dhabi

One always suspected Lewis Hamilton would use his media briefings on Thursday to start trying to apply some psychological pressure to team-mate Nico Rosberg, and so he did. 

Asked about previous title deciders with Rosberg, he brought up the pressure he felt going into this same race in 2014. “It was  a turbulent year again,” Hamilton said. “I remember... was that the year that we had the issue at Monaco? Right. So we had the issue at Monaco and then there was the issue at Spa, so we went through quite a lot of ups and downs again that season and then to get to the last race where it was double points... I didn’t sleep the night before the race which is one of the first times if not the only time. Yeah, I’d worked so hard that season to be at the last race and through mechanical failure or something, to have the championship taken away from us... we fully deserved it. I’m pretty sure it was definitely difficult then.” 

Did you get the references to Rosberg’s notorious trip up the Mirabeau escape road in Monaco qualifying and his “deliberate” (Hamilton’s claim at the time) crash into his team-mate in Belgium. Of course you did. In other words - watch out, he could do it again. Rosberg? He’d do anything he could to win, he said at another point, “within the bounds of what’s acceptable, of course”. 

A changing of the guard? As Jenson Button calls time on his F1 career, a young Briton is out on the track this morning - Jordan King is in Esteban Ocon's Manor. 

Meanwhile, Nico Hulkenberg has handed over the keys to his Force India to Alfonso Celis.

We've also got a couple of drivers testing out the halo head protection system - Carlos Sainz, Daniil Kvyat and Sebastian Vettel have it bolted onto their cars.

And the final first practice session of the season is under way. Out first is one of the Renaults.

Jennie Gow
BBC Radio 5 live pit-lane reporter

Unusually for this pitlane there are no photographers in front of Lewis Hamilton's car, they are all at Nico Rosberg's car, but he's not in it yet.

BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

We're LIVE with commentary on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra and online right now. It's the final Friday of the season that you'll hear the dulcet tones of Jack Nicholls. Get on it.

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer in Abu Dhabi

Image source, Getty Images

Finally, the truth is out. Jenson Button and McLaren rather underplayed when they announced he would not be racing in 2017 the finality of the decision. And while we have been explaining over the past couple of months here that it meant retirement by another name, Button has finally admitted it here at Yas Marina this weekend. “I think of this as my last race and hopefully everyone else does as well,” Button said. For the rest of the paddock, it is a relief that the weekend can now therefore be spent as it should be - recognising and reflecting on a superb career by a man who was not at the very peak of his profession but at times hit highs out of reach but to the very best.

Image source, Getty Images

What's your favourite memories of Jenson Button? 

From great races to funny moments off the track, tell us about them. Let's celebrate best of Great Button!

Get involved via #Buttonsbestmoments, external

Image source, Getty Images

Also in that news conference with the title-chasing pair were Felipe Massa and Jenson Button. 

We already knew that Massa was calling time on his career after this race, but Button decided to join him in opting to hang up the helmet permanently. He was due to take a sabbatical, but yesterday confirmed that this will be his final race in F1.

Farewell to two legends of the sport.

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer in Abu Dhabi

Such is the focus on Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg this weekend that governing body the FIA devoted half the official pre-race news conference to just the two of them. And it was a fascinating watch. Rosberg was his usual guarded self, sticking to his well-worn mantra of focusing only on each weekend. 

“Taking this as one more race,” he said, “keep it simple, focus on going for that race win and putting everything towards that and not thinking about ‘what if’, because that wouldn’t be the right approach for me and that’s what feels good to me and that’s what I’m sticking with. Understandable?” 

It was Hamilton, though, who provided all the interest, with an engaging, intelligent, and at times condescending (towards Rosberg) performance. More of which in a moment.

Permutations. Everyone loves permutations, right? Well apart from my colleague who very kindly spent a head-scratching couple of hours to put together the below. It handily outlines the various scenarios that will see either Nico Rosberg or Lewis Hamilton win the title.

Image source, .

Image source, .

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer in Abu Dhabi

There is only really one story in town this weekend - and it is the climax of chapter three of the same one that has been running for three years. 

Which Mercedes driver will win the world championship? For the first time, it is Nico Rosberg in the box seat. On the face of it, it is hard to see how the German can lose it. He’s 12 points ahead of team-mate Lewis Hamilton, needs only to finish third whatever Hamilton does, and in a Mercedes pretty much any driver worth their salt could do that. And yet… Title deciders do funny things to people - just think back to Ferrari’s inexplicable strategic error that tossed away what would have been Fernando Alonso’s third world title in 2010. There could yet be a twist in the tale. 

The world is watching and the pressure is all on Rosberg. For all he continues to talk about “one race at a time” etc etc ad infinitum, he must know this is likely the best chance he is ever going to get to win the championship. Can he handle it? 

Image source, Getty Images

Nine wins for Nico Rosberg.

Nine wins for Lewis Hamilton.

After 20 races and nine months, it all comes down to the final race of the season.

On Sunday, one of Rosberg or Hamilton will be crowned champion.

It's time for the desert decider.