BREAKING: Nico Rosberg Retires from Formula One

[Piero Favretti]

I am really sorry to see Nico Rosberg quit. However, I respect his reason and priorities and the class with which he won the title.

As mentioned above, Fernando Alonso would be my choice to replace Nico. I would love it for him to have equal equipment to Mr Ego, give him a lesson or two

 

[Flammenjc]

Mansell and Prost did exactly the same thing as Nico

And what did they all have in common with each other? Senna would have whooped them in equal machinery. Prost didn't want to lose his pride and neither did Nige.
Nico the same, only this time Hamilton instead of Senna.

It's almost carbon copies. There's alot of drivers, who lack a little bit in natural talent, who are too eager to hang up their boots. Compare Button with Alonso for example. One is probably in everyones top 3 talent of current drivers, the other [the one thats retiring] might not even break into the top 5 on most peoples list.

Similar with Nico. I think everyone knows Lewis is the better driver, but it doesn't mean Nico didn't deserve his rewards for what must have been, BLOODY HARD WORK!

 

[Nestoche]

WOW, I'm shocked!....He still has a lot of racing left in him. I say it is too early to retire but I respect his decision. Family does come first and I can tell he's a good family man, loves them dearly.

Anyway, best of luck to him whatever he does in his spare time....I'm sure he's doesn't have to worry financially!...he's a Monaco kid born and bread!..lol

 

[samcar304]

Its not the last time he is going to drive an F1 car, I get the feeling Mercedes might invite him back for the odd test or two. (I could be wrong tho) Racing wise I could see him going to GT racing or DTM. His friend Maro Engel races in GT and i would not be surprised if he goes and does that.

But if he has truly hung up his gloves and boots fair play.

 

[bporion]

Smart man !! good for him ! now what should he do ? F1 champ , beautiful family , millionaire , 32 years old ? lucky bastard !!

 

[Ole Marius Myrvold]

Kinda different honestly, Williams simply signed other (scary)drivers and told their current number one to "deal with it".
To add insult to injury, the contract they offered to newly crowned WC Nigel (suppousedly) amounted to a pack a peanuts.

Alain, who had a contract for 94, simply got told "mr Senna will be driving for us next season, if want it you can have the other car".
Prost didn't want it.

That's somewhat a way to rewrite history as well. Mansell wasn't offered what he wanted by Williams for 93, that's right. But why should Williams cave in anyway, they already had Prost signed up. When Williams realized that Mansell actually would step away from Williams and F1, they managed to give him the offer he wanted, in the middle of Mansell's press conference - but then Mansell had made up his mind, and didn't consider it.

Prost had in his contract a clause for 1993 that blocked Williams from signing Ayrton Senna. However that clause did not extend in to 1994, there was nothing that kept Prost from racing in 94, except that he didn't want to face Senna again in the same team. Not sure if that is any better.

I agree with you.... That family motivation is BS.... They know what the job is when they sign up... they know what takes to be competitive..... All drivers have families, loved ones... It was a weak move, in my opinion....

And when they've done that job for 11 years, and been racing for 25 years. Have enough money to live off for the rest of their life. Wife, children. And, as it said in the article - he haven't taken care of his daughter at any nights, as he have been focusing on the title.

I don't get why people seemingly are upset that he decides to walk away from it. Yes, that a person who have been this lucky, and have been in F1 for years, just leaves may seem like he doesn't love the sport, while many fans would kill for the opportunity. But at the same time, I would love to be racing for a living, having fun.
Fun being the main point here. Like regular work, you want to have a job you enjoy, that are fun, with fun people around you. Life is to short to have boring jobs, with sad people. It is reported that he was thinking about retiring already back in 06, in his rookie year. And I understand it. F1 is filled with politics and stuff that sucks the fun out of it.

 

[Leonardo Chaves]

That's somewhat a way to rewrite history as well. Mansell wasn't offered what he wanted by Williams for 93, that's right. But why should Williams cave in anyway, they already had Prost signed up. When Williams realized that Mansell actually would step away from Williams and F1, they managed to give him the offer he wanted, in the middle of Mansell's press conference - but then Mansell had made up his mind, and didn't consider it.

Prost had in his contract a clause for 1993 that blocked Williams from signing Ayrton Senna. However that clause did not extend in to 1994, there was nothing that kept Prost from racing in 94, except that he didn't want to face Senna again in the same team. Not sure if that is any better.

I think we can agree that while Williams didn't "fire" their champions they made no effort to accomodate or coddle them, in comparison Rosberg choose to walk without Mercedes pulling any surprises.

I didn't remember the posterior offer to Mansell, i remember Mansell, emotional like always, feeling betrayed that Williams wasn't valuing him and using Alain to force his hand.

 

[Deleted member 205301]

. Mercedes will do a HUGE mistake if not give this car to Sergio Perez.

...cannot agree more

 

[MikieC]

I'm Thrilled and have much more respect for Nico now. It's refreshing to see someone really put their family first and getting their priorities right!!!!

 

[LacSlyer]

I agree with you.... That family motivation is BS.... They know what the job is when they sign up... they know what takes to be competitive..... All drivers have families, loved ones... It was a weak move, in my opinion....

Some of you guys... You're free to have your opinion, but to discredit a guy based purely on speculation and nothing more is ridiculous. Calling a man who just won the drivers title against one of the best drivers of this generation weak is beyond comprehension when you have no clue of his personal life. People change after 11 years of racing, especially in F1 where the demand to perform is so high that everything in your life is calculated and scrutinized by a group of people to make sure you're worth the money you're paid.

You keyboard warriors can go on discrediting him for whatever reasons you want to create, in the end he could care less about your opinion of him. At least be informed if you're going to criticize and name call a guy who's achieved something so few can claim title to.

 

[kmanitou81]

Does it irk you or should we curtail it a bit? Perhaps you feel envious that you are not part of it?

Yes, I'm very envious of communities who value low IQ and lack of perspicacity.

 

[Deleted member 130869]

I didn't remember the posterior offer to Mansell, i remember Mansell, emotional like always, feeling betrayed that Williams wasn't valuing him and using Alain to force his hand.

Williams operated on the sense their car was the best and thus they shouldn't have to overpay - according to their thought - a driver for that benefit. Then they lost Newey...

 

[Tsfc]

Some interesting comments here. The internet is an amazing place where people criticize a guy who has breathed racing for 25 yrs

If he's truly hung it up I have admiration for someone who hangs it up on top, lot of people don't have the strength to do it.

But if I'm honest, am I the only one who sees Nico taking a year out, recharging his battery and watches to see which team nails the regs?...then throws his name in the market...

 

[Andy_J]

Yes, I'm very envious of communities who value low IQ and lack of perspicacity.

And this community values those things in your opinion does it? Do you think you have been here long enough to make an informed opinion on this? I don't.
Quipping on various threads, trying to get a rise out of people with thinly disguised insults are not the actions of a person who want's to join this community. But why would you if it's a community that values low IQ and a lack perspicacity? You are just another trolling keyboard warrior looking for a rise out of people. Well you got it out of me but I don't think you'll get on with this community at all.

@kmanitou81 Are all people from Quebec rude like you? Surely not, you are just a bad example. You seem to have got yourself banned from a few race sim forums lately. Why were you banned from those other places? Shall I investigate?

 

[Andy_J]

Smart man !! good for him ! now what should he do ? F1 champ , beautiful family , millionaire , 32 years old ? lucky bastard !!

I agree with this sentiment. He has done what he wanted to do. He has it all. Why risk life from now on? Why put pressure on himself if he doesn't need to. He's made a personal decision and it shouldn't bother anyone else. Good on him I say.

 

[Dave R]

I've seen a few conspiracy theories online that he just didn't want to race with Hamilton any longer and will take a year or two off then return either with Mercedes (after Ham is gone) or with another team. Not sure if I believe that or not, but it does seem a bit plausible given his and Hamilton's relationship.

 

[fortyfivekev]

I think it's a Casey Stoner situation and we wont see him back in F1 and why race in the DTM when you are only going to be beaten by the career drivers there. We probably have to wait for a 3rd generation now to see another Rosberg racing.

 

[kmanitou81]

I've seen a few conspiracy theories online that he just didn't want to race with Hamilton any longer and will take a year or two off then return either with Mercedes (after Ham is gone) or with another team. Not sure if I believe that or not, but it does seem a bit plausible given his and Hamilton's relationship.

I wouldn't find that hard to believe. Having to deal with a douchebag constantly when you're just a nice guy enjoying life and racing has to take its toll. Good for the team if Lewis gets them a lot of success, but he's not likable in the slightest, and F1 is not even good enough to be called a circus nowadays.

Deal with all that garbage or live your life doing whatever you want with your family? He's young, successful, rich, might as well find better opportunities.

 

[Terry Rock]

It'd be wrong of anyone to fault Nico for his decision to leave F1.
He's accomplished what he set out to do... win a WDC.
I'm sure some other drivers want to win the championship multiple times.
He has expressed that was not his goal.
Some will be upset that he did not defend it.
In the end, it's his decision to make ....and it's done.
He's a young guy with enormous wealth, which will afford him the opportunity to do what ever he wants to going forward.
That's what most folks desire in life.
On another note: I will applaud him, as this was the best kept secret in F1.

 

[gamer19]

Niki Lauda says that "practically half" of the Formula 1 grid has been in touch with Mercedes to offer themselves as a replacement for retiring world champion Nico Rosberg.

After winning his maiden F1 title in Abu Dhabi last weekend, Rosberg shocked the F1 world when he announced his retirement from the sport during the FIA Gala Awards in Vienna on Friday.
This left Mercedes with a vacancy to fill alongside Lewis Hamilton for next season, albeit at a time when only Sauber and Manor have not announced their driver line-ups for 2017.
Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport, Mercedes non-executive chairman Lauda admitted that Rosberg's sudden exit had left the Brackley-based squad "disorientated".
Asked when he knew about the news, Lauda said: “A few hours before the public announcement. He told us by phone. I took it badly, I didn’t expect it, nobody in Mercedes imagined that he had had enough.
“At first I didn’t believe it. ‘Nico, what you told us, are you kidding by any chance? It’s a joke?’ But he said it was all true. Quite incredible.
"When I won the first title I immediately thought about how I would win a second. Not the case with Nico.
“Rosberg’s decision has left us disorientated and unprepared, and all those who contributed to Nico winning the world title took it very badly."
Lauda says the fact most top drivers are under contract elsewhere makes the task of replacing Rosberg especially difficult, and that taking a young driver - such as Pascal Wehrlein - would be a "risk".
"We have lost a champion, the best driver of 2016," added Lauda. "It won’t be easy to replace him because all the drivers of a certain standard have contracts with other teams.
“Taking a young driver is a risk, we don’t know if he will be strong. Practically half of the grid have offered themselves.”

Interesting.
This part is perhaps most surprising:
"all those who contributed to Nico winning the world title took it very badly" !?!
So, ALL the guys, his mechanic included, took it badly... on contrary to RD which members are , I would say, fifty-fifty.