Nico Rosberg is retiring from Formula 1 in a surprise move following his World Championship win.
The 31-year-old German announced his decision to depart the sport on Facebook this afternoon, stating that his proudest achievement was this year’s title win.
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“Since 25 years in racing, it has been my dream, my ‘one thing’ to become Formula One World Champion,” he said. “Through the hard work, the pain, the sacrifices, this has been my target. And now I’ve made it. I have climbed my mountain, I am on the peak, so this feels right.”
Rosberg leaves after 206 races in the world’s top formula with 23 wins and the 2016 title to his name.
“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,” he continued. “But [Mercedes executive director] Toto [Wolff] understood. He knew straight away that I was completely convinced and that reassured me.”
Rosberg’s unexpected move leaves a seat at constructor’s championship winning team Mercedes open for the taking. Mercedes is yet to reveal who will partner Lewis Hamilton for its 2017 campaign.
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How sad
I guess he couldn't race with
My temperatures fine just
Truth hurts pal
Oi spastic!
Only a true competitor and a champion would be in the position to be an F1 title holder, only a spastic would fail to realise that! Only a complete spastic would fail to acknowledge the hard work, commitment and above all else courage it would require to even get to the point where you have earned a drive in F1 let alone to win the title. Only a spastic like yourself would fail to see that the cowardly thing for Rosberg to do would be carry on regardless with his heart not in it thus risking both himself and the drivers around him just for the sake of another pay day or trying to prove something he doesn't even feel the need to prove to spastics like you. Only a spastic like yourself would accuse others of being a "Keyboard warrior" and a "beta male" whilst being one themselves at the very same time! Only a spastic like yourself with a brain too underdeveloped would fail to understand! Even though I wanted Lewis to win I'd readily admit that he is a poor excuse for a sportsman and that makes him less of a person, having a spastic like you spout shit on his behalf will never change that!