BREAKING: Nico Rosberg Retires from Formula One

[thatmotorfreak]

I remember some saying about quitting while you're at the top of your game, I guess that's what this guy had in mind.

Kinda caught me off-guard, but I'm still interested in seeing who will replace him (and give Hamilton a painful run for his money)

 

[Karl Fuss]

All this Button and Webber talk is silly, that's not going to happen.
Alonso, i doubt that as well. He's been down that road once before already.

The safest bet is Bottas or Wehrlein

 

[aphidgod]

Shock retirement while on top is a fairy-tale ending of sorts, but I've been around a while and I've seen it go wrong more than once. I hope this doesn't turn out to be premature for Nico, although in this situation, literally only time will tell.

Sometimes the fire still smolders deep inside competitive men, even when they think they've extinguished it.

Certainly does make silly season more interesting. What a job opening...

 

[aka2k]

Lame. Was he only trying to be as good as his dad? Never liked him very much. Never struck me as a real F1 driver, despite being talented.

Boy, I miss the old real F1 drivers more than ever now. Senna, Mansell, Fittipaldi, Prost, Piquet, Lauda, Hunt and you name it. They lived and died for the speed. Those new guys have no passion. Sad.

 

[Karl Fuss]

Lame.

This! So much this.

 

[Jonix]

Lame. Was he only trying to be as good as his dad? Never liked him very much. Never struck me as a real F1 driver, despite being talented.

Boy, I miss the old real F1 drivers more than ever now. Senna, Mansell, Fittipaldi, Prost, Piquet, Lauda, Hunt and you name it. They lived and died for the speed. Those new guys have no passion. Sad.

Those new guys have no passion

T h o s e n e w g u y s h a v e n o p a s s i o n

...

Right, no passion, he has spent only 90% of his life racing...

He also has to think he is the father of a family now. You have responsibilities. I appreciate his decision.

 

[LeSunTzu]

This is EXACTLY how a true champion behaves. Love for family overcoming passion for racing at the highest peak of the highest level. RESPECT ! !!

If every world champion had done the same as Nico, Pastor Maldonado would be current WC.

A true champion defends his title. When he loses it he comes back stronger.

It turns out that Mohamed Ali was not such an inspiration to Nico Rosberg after all...
https://twitter.com/nico_rosberg/status/738970746484064256?ref_src=twsrc^tfw
What a pity.

 

[TobiasR]

Much respect for Rosberg for this decision. This guy knows exactly what he's doing with his life.

 

[Rodent]

All this Button and Webber talk is silly, that's not going to happen.
Alonso, i doubt that as well. He's been down that road once before already.

The safest bet is Bottas or Wehrlein

Well, it is now, a very silly silly season. Didn't they just exhume Fangio? I bet he's still better then most of the field.

 

[TTupsi]

Lame. Was he only trying to be as good as his dad? Never liked him very much. Never struck me as a real F1 driver, despite being talented.

Boy, I miss the old real F1 drivers more than ever now. Senna, Mansell, Fittipaldi, Prost, Piquet, Lauda, Hunt and you name it. They lived and died for the speed. Those new guys have no passion. Sad.

Mansell and Prost did exactly the same thing as Nico

 

[Rodent]

In Mansells case it was more him loosing his ride then the will to ride it though? Still, as you say Rosberg's in good company. And with a little one, with the death of Bianchi in recent memory, I don't blame him at all.

 

[Deleted member 205301]

What a man... He finally achieve his all'life'goal..so now what'else ? He knows He could never do it again..
Great Champion, and TRUE MAN
@++

 

[kmanitou81]

Lame. Was he only trying to be as good as his dad? Never liked him very much. Never struck me as a real F1 driver, despite being talented.

Boy, I miss the old real F1 drivers more than ever now. Senna, Mansell, Fittipaldi, Prost, Piquet, Lauda, Hunt and you name it. They lived and died for the speed. Those new guys have no passion. Sad.

21 races on boring circuits in boring races managing tires and electronics with stupid rules changing all the time? If you can't find better racing elsewhere, racing is over.

 

[kmanitou81]

If every world champion had done the same as Nico, Pastor Maldonado would be current WC.

A true champion defends his title. When he loses it he comes back stronger.

It turns out that Mohamed Ali was not such an inspiration to Nico Rosberg after all...
https://twitter.com/nico_rosberg/status/738970746484064256?ref_src=twsrc^tfw
What a pity.

This isn't boxing. You can't "defend" a racing championship. F1 is arbitrary and the rules change all the time, doesn't depend that much on the driver, etc. You can win and still be dissatisfied of the state of the "sport". Current F1 and passion don't go together.

 

[James Cook]

Surprised to hear this, although not entirely.

Rosberg has done what he needed to do, presumably is very comfortable financially and has a young family to think about. The pressure of F1 and the gruelling travel schedule must be very demanding. He's the wrong side of 30 in what is increasingly becoming a younger man's sport. He'll probably not win another title.

I don't blame him at all.

He's achieved his goal, walked away from F1 alive, young enough to have a go at something else (maybe DTM?), was an excellent driver and a nice guy.

Best of luck to him.

 

[Karl Fuss]

Mansell and Prost did exactly the same thing as Nico

Whoa! in no way were those exactly the same situation as this. Far far from it.

 

[Ricoow]

Would Rosberg have done the same thing if Hamiltons engine blew one time less this season?

 

[Angelo dos Santos]

My big respect to Nico, that is a gutsy decision!
Best advisors on the world aways tell you..."Leave whatever you´re doing, on top...". Most of us, most of them drivers, cant do it. Nico did it!
Congratulations for a sucessful career!

Now, on prospects. Mercedes will do a HUGE mistake if not give this car to Sergio Perez. By the looks of contractual situations, that would the best choice period. Even good for Wehrlein, who can have a Force India instead of a Sauber or Manor.

 

[Kakusso]

Great dignity in that decision, but it raises some questions;
Was it too much pressure?
Too much stress?
Gives me the feeling the mental strength was not there and that he was over-reving his capabilities.
Leads me to some radio communications with the pits were his stress was visible:
"I don't want to know the gap to the car behind".
Feels like he just did it for his father, but it is not really his thing.
All my respect.

 

[SVP Skins]

I'd love to see Pascal Wehrlein get the seat, though he has bags of talent, is he ready for the big time?

Best of luck to Nico, brave move but respect him for it.