Holy Crap: Nico Rosberg Just Retired From F1

Formula 1's latest champion just announced his retirement at an FIA conference in Vienna
Holy Crap: Nico Rosberg Just Retired From F1

He’s only been champion for a matter of days, but Nico Rosberg has just ended his career on a high by announcing his retirement at an FIA press conference in Vienna.

Rosberg’s moves to retire actually first started some weeks ago at the Japanese Grand Prix. In a statement on his Facebook page, he said:

“This season, I tell you, it was so damn tough. I pushed like crazy in every area after the disappointments of the last two years; they fuelled my motivation to levels I had never experienced before. And of course that had an impact on the ones I love, too – it was a whole family effort of sacrifice, putting everything behind our target. I cannot find enough words to thank my wife Vivian; she has been incredible. She understood that this year was the big one, our opportunity to do it, and created the space for me to get full recovery between every race, looking after our daughter each night, taking over when things got tough and putting our championship first.

“When I won the race in Suzuka, from the moment when the destiny of the title was in my own hands, the big pressure started and I began to think about ending my racing career if I became World Champion. On Sunday morning in Abu Dhabi, I knew that it could be my last race and that feeling cleared my head before the start. I wanted to enjoy every part of the experience, knowing it might be the last time… and then the lights went out and I had the most intense 55 laps of my life. I took my decision on Monday evening. After reflecting for a day, the first people I told were Vivian and Georg (Nolte, from Nico’s management team), followed by Toto.

“The only thing that makes this decision in any way difficult for me is because I am putting my racing family into a tough situation. But Toto understood. He knew straight away that I was completely convinced and that reassured me. My proudest achievement in racing will always be to have won the world championship with this incredible team of people,the Silver Arrows.
“Now, I’m just here to enjoy the moment. There is time to savour the next weeks, to reflect on the season and to enjoy every experience that comes my way. After that, I will turn the next corner in my life and see what it has in store for me…”

Holy Crap: Nico Rosberg Just Retired From F1

At the conference, Rosberg said that he has no intention of returning to F1, and will be concentrating on his family for the foreseeable future rather that entering any other racing series.

Rosberg’s shock departure opens up a spare seat at F1’s fastest team, but his successor is not yet known. Mercedes AMG F1 executive director Toto Wolff simply said “now we have to consider [a] replacement. It will be very hard”.

There are plenty of former champions who’d no doubt love a Silver Arrow seat (Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso, we’re looking at you), however we’d expect Mercedes to opt for a younger, less experienced driver, such as the highly rated Pascal Wehlein.

Comments

The_Import_Kid

Well that was quick.

12/02/2016 - 13:26 |
6 | 0

The same couldn’t be said for Hamilton…

12/02/2016 - 13:30 |
17 | 1
Anonymous

Who will take his place for 2017?!

12/02/2016 - 13:30 |
1 | 0
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Wehrlein is the only real option.

12/02/2016 - 13:34 |
2 | 0
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Wehrlein maybe??

12/02/2016 - 13:35 |
0 | 0
ESR69

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Wehrlein?

12/02/2016 - 13:37 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Perez?

12/02/2016 - 13:39 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Definitely Wehrlein. Why question it.

12/02/2016 - 13:40 |
0 | 0
Valanti Demetriades

At first i was hoping this was a fake article or was meant to trick me but i kept reading and it wasn’t…this is terrible :(

12/02/2016 - 13:33 |
26 | 1

It is for a completely understandable reason though

12/02/2016 - 13:38 |
16 | 0

I actually prefer humble Nico over the champ, Hamilton. He just seems to act more humble. I never had or will have the chance to get into any professional racing events, let alone F1 due to stupid poverty, but I will hopefully have money a son (or have a daughter if I manage to slip her in) to later become a petrolhead and will support them to become what I wanted to be. An F1 driver.

12/02/2016 - 20:04 |
8 | 0

But as people can guess, the route of my future is being a truck/lorry driver, buy and sell cars for a bit of a financial push and also have a little channel on YT related to cars (can do reviews of what I sell and promote one off another) and by that pull a pay to afford an M3 in my thirties. But I don’t mind driving sleeper trucks since I’ve been around them and everything with an engine you can get in poverty since I was born.

12/02/2016 - 20:08 |
1 | 0
Joshua Lue

As much as i dont like him, he’s got his championship and clearly wants to end on a high. All the best to him and his family.

12/02/2016 - 13:34 |
14 | 0
Sam Holland

Well blow me, were going to lose one of the best drivers in the last ten years

12/02/2016 - 13:34 |
2 | 0

Speaking of ten years, his career might just be the longest ever before scoring a title. It took him ten seasons.

12/02/2016 - 13:51 |
1 | 0
IlikePoland

In comes Pascal Wehrlein…

12/02/2016 - 13:34 |
0 | 0

Maybe thats why he didnt get a seat anywhere else.. because he knew

12/02/2016 - 13:35 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

Wow, tough choice to make… He clearly wanted to achieve this goal once in his live. And now he just wants more time for his loved ones.
I can only respect his choice.

12/02/2016 - 13:35 |
12 | 0
João Loureiro
12/02/2016 - 13:36 |
148 | 1

Except Wehrlein is next in line.

12/02/2016 - 13:43 |
3 | 2
12/02/2016 - 14:03 |
145 | 0

Please no Vettel, you are Ferrari’s only hope…

12/02/2016 - 14:28 |
2 | 5

I find this statement wrong. I think Vettel said sometime ago when he moved to Ferrari that it was a dream that came true. Why would he leave his dream team for a rival one??

12/03/2016 - 00:16 |
1 | 1
Anonymous

Fair play to Nico, end on a high note. I respect his decision to make time for his family. It takes real commitment to walk away from a winning team like that. Best of luck to him, and I hope to see him battle at Le Mans some day.

12/02/2016 - 13:38 |
22 | 0
Alien OrSutin

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Plus he’s heard from a million people in the last two months something along the lines of “if Lewis hadn’t had reliability issues you wouldn’t be in the position of potentially being champion”. That’s gotta be hard to hear.

12/02/2016 - 15:09 |
3 | 1
Anonymous

what?
how ? why?
it is real life? for real
?

12/02/2016 - 13:38 |
0 | 0

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