Rosberg ended the season second in the Drivers' championship despite winning five grands prix and out-qualifying Hamilton to take the inaugural "pole position" trophy with 11 poles out of 19 starts.
RICCIARDO THIRD
Spaniard Fernando Alonso, a double F1 champion who in 2014 left Ferrari to race for for McLaren in 2015, was second in the poll conducted by Autosport magazine -veven though the Italian team didn't win a race through 2014, for the first time since 1993.
Red Bull's Australian Daniel Ricciardo was third, Williams' Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas fourth.
French driver Jules Bianchi, still on the 'critical' list in hospital as a result of his crash in Japan, was eighth.
Ten team bosses voted, with Caterham absent due to managerial upheaval and going under administration.