All the drama, all the anticipation and adrenaline in advance of the F1 championship finale added up to so much hot air as Lewis Hamilton wrapped up the 2014 championship with another Grand Prix victory - his 11th of the season - in Abu Dhabi yesterday.

On an afternoon when the English driver surged past his only challenger, Nico Rosberg, within the first few seconds of the action, any hopes of a thrilling climax were dashed when the German suffered a litany of technical and mechanical problems which meant he finished out of the points and miles away from his team-mate and rival.

As a tearful Hamilton embraced Nicole Scherzinger and celebrated his achievement with his family, the F1 hierarchy certainly did their utmost to crank up the festivities. Prince Harry was on hand to congratulate his compatriot, and there were union flags and a stirring rendition of the national anthem to warm the cockles of Jeremy Clarkson's heart.

But the sight of Hamilton being sprayed with non-alcoholic fizz seemed symbolic. After all, if you are talking about duels in sport, they require both competitors to have the tools to genuinely push the other to the limit. The 'Rumble in the Jungle', the 'Miracle of Medinah', the epic Wimbledon tie-break between Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe . . . all of these classic confrontations depended on individuals testing their skills, their temperament and stamina in the public gaze, where any signs of weakness were ruthlessly exposed and exploited by their adversaries. Blink first and bid adieu.

Hamilton's success, in contrast, was far too comfortable to be exciting. That wasn't his fault, of course, and he deserved his spoils after being the cream of the crop throughout the campaign.

In recent races, Saturday's qualifying sessions have been rendered almost redundant because, irrespective of how often Rosberg earned pole position, Hamilton proved capable of surging to the front and seizing the initiative by the sheer force of his personality and professionalism.

During a season where others have shrivelled and sighed, bemoaned their lot and blasted their employers, the 29-year-old has transcended any obstacles and one suspects he has another title or two up his sleeve in the future.

The statistics support his claims to greatness. This was Hamilton's 33rd GP victory, a tally which pushes him to fifth on the all-time list ahead of Ferrari's double world champion, Fernando Alonso, and, when one considers he could have another 100 or so chances to add to that haul, there is no reason why he can't scale the summit by the end of his career.

Ever since he emerged into the F1 ranks, he has been devastatingly quick, fearless and has produced incredible feats of derring-do. But, as he demonstrated regularly, he has learned to combine panache with pragmatism and that offers scant comfort for his foes.

The Hamilton of 2009 or 2010 might have allowed the pressure and expectation to grind him down. Instead, as he has matured, it has been Rosberg who has been left trailing in the slipstream.

Let's not forget he was leading in the standings when the pair clashed at Spa, and the rancour between the duo has been obvious since it happened. Nor did it require a Kremlinologist to discern the tension which still exists between them, despite their attempts to forge a mutual appreciation society once the hostilities had ceased.

"Lewis deserved to win, but the positive for me is that I have been the better qualifier over the last two years and that gives me a good base," said Rosberg, who did merit credit for staying the course while his car wheezed and whimpered, and in circumstances where other drivers might have simply given up the ghost in Abu Dhabi.

Hamilton, though, holds the advantage in terms of having established a fearsome reputation around the pit and paddock for using his frustrations as a motivation, not a distraction. As his father, Anthony, tellingly declared: "His performances this year have shown what he can do. Every now and again, we need a helping hand and somebody to say that you are on the right road. But otherwise, it has all been down to him.

"The comeback at Silverstone [in the British Grand Prix] is probably one of the biggest highlights. In his bedroom on Saturday night, he felt that he had let the whole of the UK down, but he came back [and won] and that sums up what he achieved. It has been a tough year and some things have gone against him, but he has always responded."

Hamilton has momentum and is part of a Mercedes machine with a well-oiled ambition to hog the limelight in similar fashion to how Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel trampled all over their rivals. The latter, in comparison, seem dazed and confused.

We have probably seen the last of Jenson Button, Alonso has toiled in vain to resuscitate Ferrari, Vettel was eclipsed by Daniel Ricciardo, which few could have envisaged, and while some of the younger stars in the firmament have potential, they are nowhere near the pinnacle yet.

All of which leaves Hamilton in a good place and installed as second favourite - behind Rory McIlroy - for the BBC's "Sports Personality of the Year" prize. He, at least, can bask in glory in the weeks ahead, although Formula One itself remains racked by financial concerns, a diminishing youth audience and a slump in viewing figures.

None of which will have been helped by yesterday's non-event.