F1 champion Rosberg retires from racing
Formula One champion Nico Rosberg shocked the motor sports world Friday when he announced that he was retiring at the age of 31, five days after earning his first world championship.
“I have decided to end my Formula One career. I had a very, very clear dream, that was to become Formula One world champion. I have achieved this childhood dream now and I am not willing to do that sort of commitment again,” Rosberg said in Vienna, Austria. “So I have decided to follow my heart, and my heart has told me just to stop there, to call it a day.”
Rosberg said he made the decision Monday, a day after finishing second at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to clinch the F1 title.
“I am on the peak, so this feels right,” he said.
Rosberg had a strained relationship with Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton. They came up through the karting circuits to became fierce rivals in F1, constantly needling each other in the media. They dueled for the series championship for the last three years. Rosberg was runner-up to Hamilton in 2014 and 2015 but hung on this year to relieve Hamilton of the title in the final race.
In other motor sports news:
• Japanese veteran Takuma Sato, who drove for A.J. Foyt Racing the last four years, will drive the No. 26 Honda for Andretti Autosport during the 2017 IndyCar season. Sato will join the Andretti team that includes Ryan HunterReay, Alexander Rossi and Marco Andretti.