Discussion
Make of this what you will.
Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff says he would not be surprised if world champion Nico Rosberg eventually makes a Formula 1 comeback with Ferrari.
Rosberg shocked the F1 world in December last year when, just days after clinching his world title, he announced his retirement.
He said that the stresses of battling for a championship with Lewis Hamilton, allied to the fact that he had a young family, left him unwilling to commit for another season.
While Rosberg has insisted he is happy being away from F1 and he has no interest in returning to competition, Wolff suspects he may ultimately change his mind.
In a relaxed conversation with media in the paddock in Montreal, Wolff admitted he would not be totally surprised if Rosberg reappeared with Mercedes' current title rival.
"I think when he took the decision to retire it was because it was just too much," said Wolff.
"It was a very stressful year against probably the best driver in F1 and he felt, at that stage, exhausted. That is how he appeared to me.
"But he is 31 years old. If he is unlucky, he has another 70 years to go in his life!
"I will give you one [quote]: I wouldn't be surprised if he changes his mind in a year and reappears in a Ferrari! Or somewhere else."
Mercedes signed Valtteri Bottas from Williams at short notice to replace Rosberg when he stepped down last winter. Wolff added that he cannot envisage Rosberg following Fernando Alonso's example and trying IndyCar.
"I think that doing the Indy 500 is very challenging for a racing driver," he said. "I loved it because of Fernando, until he retired, but I don't think Nico calculating the risk and reward would go on to an oval with an Indycar."
Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff says he would not be surprised if world champion Nico Rosberg eventually makes a Formula 1 comeback with Ferrari.
Rosberg shocked the F1 world in December last year when, just days after clinching his world title, he announced his retirement.
He said that the stresses of battling for a championship with Lewis Hamilton, allied to the fact that he had a young family, left him unwilling to commit for another season.
While Rosberg has insisted he is happy being away from F1 and he has no interest in returning to competition, Wolff suspects he may ultimately change his mind.
In a relaxed conversation with media in the paddock in Montreal, Wolff admitted he would not be totally surprised if Rosberg reappeared with Mercedes' current title rival.
"I think when he took the decision to retire it was because it was just too much," said Wolff.
"It was a very stressful year against probably the best driver in F1 and he felt, at that stage, exhausted. That is how he appeared to me.
"But he is 31 years old. If he is unlucky, he has another 70 years to go in his life!
"I will give you one [quote]: I wouldn't be surprised if he changes his mind in a year and reappears in a Ferrari! Or somewhere else."
Mercedes signed Valtteri Bottas from Williams at short notice to replace Rosberg when he stepped down last winter. Wolff added that he cannot envisage Rosberg following Fernando Alonso's example and trying IndyCar.
"I think that doing the Indy 500 is very challenging for a racing driver," he said. "I loved it because of Fernando, until he retired, but I don't think Nico calculating the risk and reward would go on to an oval with an Indycar."
CoolHands said:
Hamilton would've won if he hadn't had so many DNFs
Any of the drivers in the F1 championship last year would've won if they'd have scored more points than the rest 
Nico winning last year is what happens when him and his car perform better than the other drivers and their cars.
t. Rosberg walked away from the dominant car; he's just not a racer, its not under his skin. And I dont necessarily mean that in a mean/critical way, more it just is what it is.Wow...really we bringing this back up again?!
Will rosberg return? NO! Not got the will or motivation to do it. He even said that it took every ounce he had to beat Hamilton and that he couldn't sustain that....
...so to do all that and realy on more mechanical failures for Lewis just proves how hard it would be to do again...
...that said, did rosberg deserve to win? Yes...scored the most points throughout the year, it's a mechanical sport
Lewis and vettel fans should not forget that this year we could have a similar scenario. So far the Ferrari has been the fastest/ most consistent race car, but has suffered more mechanical problems. If Lewis wins the championship because of reliability problems for vettel then people should remember their comments/ views on here!
Will rosberg return? NO! Not got the will or motivation to do it. He even said that it took every ounce he had to beat Hamilton and that he couldn't sustain that....
...so to do all that and realy on more mechanical failures for Lewis just proves how hard it would be to do again...
...that said, did rosberg deserve to win? Yes...scored the most points throughout the year, it's a mechanical sport
Lewis and vettel fans should not forget that this year we could have a similar scenario. So far the Ferrari has been the fastest/ most consistent race car, but has suffered more mechanical problems. If Lewis wins the championship because of reliability problems for vettel then people should remember their comments/ views on here!
Rosberg had a nasty little dig at Merc at Monaco. I wonder if this is a little bit of mischievous payback for leaving Merc in the lurch.
That said, it might be right. Other drivers have returned when money has been waved in front of their face. However, I bet if he returns to F1 he'd demand #1 status.
That said, it might be right. Other drivers have returned when money has been waved in front of their face. However, I bet if he returns to F1 he'd demand #1 status.
Hamilton still feeling the pain of getting trampled by Rosberg last year:
https://www.f1today.net/en/news/f1/227502/hamilton...
https://www.f1today.net/en/news/f1/227502/hamilton...
37chevy said:
Lewis and vettel fans should not forget that this year we could have a similar scenario. So far the Ferrari has been the fastest/ most consistent race car, but has suffered more mechanical problems. If Lewis wins the championship because of reliability problems for vettel then people should remember their comments/ views on here!
I agree with your point but (so far) I wouldn't say Vettel has had the fastest car, its been nip and tuck. Ferrari didn't have an answer for Mercedes this weekend and I don't think they had the pace in China or Spain either.We'll have to see as the season goes on, the scenario you suggest could come to pass..
Far as Rosberg goes - why would he come back ? He beat Lewis (by hook or crook), got a WDC, can look Keke in the eye now. He's got no reason to step in a race car again. I don't think he's ever been a dyed in the wool racer like Lewis/Alonso/Max etc.
Supersam83 said:
Derek Smith said:
Rosberg had a nasty little dig at Merc at Monaco. I wonder if this is a little bit of mischievous payback for leaving Merc in the lurch
What did he say?He was, one assumes, referring to Monaco 2016 when he was over half a second a lap slower than LH, He had no hope of even staying with the cars in front of him, let alone catching and passing, as LH did. Further, he was complaining about an ill handling car. The situation was nothing like Kimi's situation.
Rosberg's race was dire. Whether it was due to the weather or a car problem doesn't come into it. He was dreadfully slow. He was putting LH under pressure.
Let's not be too harsh on him. Perhaps he got confused.
deadslow said:
Hamilton still feeling the pain of getting trampled by Rosberg last year:
https://www.f1today.net/en/news/f1/227502/hamilton...
Give it a rest old Chum....he said or insinuated nothing of the sort. Just said valteri is a better team mate and they work better together. Go troll elsewherehttps://www.f1today.net/en/news/f1/227502/hamilton...
37chevy said:
deadslow said:
Hamilton still feeling the pain of getting trampled by Rosberg last year:
https://www.f1today.net/en/news/f1/227502/hamilton...
Give it a rest old Chum....he said or insinuated nothing of the sort. Just said valteri is a better team mate and they work better together. Go troll elsewherehttps://www.f1today.net/en/news/f1/227502/hamilton...
Gassing Station | Formula 1 | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff