Nico Rosberg announces shock retirement from F1.

[Swami]

Nico Rosberg retires: World champion quits Formula 1 five days after title win

By Andrew Benson

Chief F1 writer

• 4 hours ago
• From the section Formula 1
• 1059

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A classy move from a classy man

• Hamilton 'doesn't care' who replaces Rosberg

"For 25 years in racing, it has been my dream, my 'one thing', to become Formula 1 world champion," he added.

"Through the hard work, the pain, the sacrifices, this has been my target. And now I've made it."

The son of Finnish 1982 world champion Keke, Rosberg made his F1 debut for Williams at the Bahrain Grand Prix in 2006, finishing seventh.

Rosberg's wait for a maiden title was the second longest in F1 history
Hamilton, who had beaten Rosberg to the title in the previous two seasons, said: "He has a family he wants to focus on, and F1 takes so much from you.

"It is definitely going to be strange and it will be sad to not have him in the team next year."

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said the news took him "completely by surprise".

"This is a brave decision by Nico and a testament to the strength of his character," he added.

"The clarity of his judgement meant I accepted his decision straight away when he told me.

"We now have to consider options and we will start to look at it on Monday."

Rosberg raced in 206 grands prix, winning 23 and finishing on the podium 57 times.


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Reaction

Haas driver Romain Grosjean was the first driver to tweet his colleague

Kevin Magnussen, who will be driving for Haas in 2017, wished Rosberg luck

Force India's Sergio Perez tweeted his "big admiration" for Rosberg

Former Williams driver Juan Pablo Montoya described Rosberg as brave

Nico Rosberg joins Jenson Button and Felipe Massa in retirement

Swami

 

[Swami]

Nico Rosberg retires: 'A classy move from a classy man'

By Andrew Benson

Chief F1 writer

• 3 hours ago
• From the section Formula 1

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Nico Rosberg's decision to announce his retirement from Formula 1 just five days after clinching his first world title is a major shock - but perhaps it should not be.

The German put everything into this season, as he explained in his statement on Friday. The pressure of those last few races was plain to see in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, in the way it peeled off him by degrees in the hours after the race.

While thinking about how hard winning that title was, his thoughts turned very quickly to what it would take to try to beat Lewis Hamilton again in 2017. He clearly felt that at the age of 31, with a young daughter, he was not prepared to make those sacrifices any more.



All in all, it is a classy move from a classy man.


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first four races of this season, people up and down the F1 paddock were saying this was the best chance he would ever get of winning the championship. The thought was clearly in Rosberg's mind, too.

Hamilton got back into the lead, only to lose it again. And he was poised to reclaim it only for his engine to fail while leading the race in Malaysia.

Reading Rosberg's statement, his achievement in holding it together under immense pressure once fate turned the season his way that afternoon in Sepang - followed by his win in Japan a week later - comes into even sharper focus.

How Rosberg and Hamilton matched up in 2016
"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," he wrote.

"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."

He added: "I gave it everything I had, didn't leave a stone unturned and I am not willing to do that again next year. Just following my heart. You only live once and this feels completely right."

Not a great F1 driver, perhaps. But a great man, certainly, and a brave and singular one, too.

Swami