Nico Rosberg
Overview
Personal Info
Date of Birth:
27/06/1985
Full Name:
Nico Erik Rosberg
Place of Birth:
Wiesbaden, Germany
Height:
178cm
Nationality:
German / Finnish
Languages:
Fluent - German, English, Italian, Spanish, French
Residence:
Monaco
Marital Status:
Married to Vivian
Children:
Alaïa Rosberg
Naila Rosberg
Official Website:
F1 Statistics
World Championships:
1 (2016)
Grand Prix's:
206 (206 starts)
Grand Prix Wins:
23
Pole Positions:
30
Fastest Laps:
20
Career Points:
1594.5
Teams:
Williams, Mercedes
Career Statistics
Total Series Contested:
Karting
Formula BMW ADAC
Formula 3 Euro Series
GP2 Series
Formula 1
Major Titles:
Formula BMW ADAC - (2002)
GP2 Championship - (2005)
F1 World Championship - (2016)
Helmets
2014 - present
Jan 2012 - Dec 2013
Sept 2011 - Dec 2011
Biography
Nico Rosberg was born on 27th June 1985, in Wiesbaden, Germany. He began Karting at the age of six and competitively at age 10. His strong mindset and determination to become a racing driver meant he had plenty of early success and was enough to convince his father to manage him. Keke never discouraged Nico's career choice but insisted he maintained good grades at school.
After Karting, further success would follow in Formula BMW ADAC with Nico winning the 2002 title and earning a test at the Williams F1 team. A couple of seasons in F3, supported by his father with Team Rosberg followed before a move into the new GP2 Drivers Championship for 2005. Nico would dominate the championship and win the title that year. At the same time Nico was serving as test driver for Williams and studying towards a place to study aeronautical engineering at Imperial College in London. After impressing Williams, Nico turned down the university place and was signed as a Williams F1 driver for 2006.
This would be a difficult era for Williams. Loosing the factory BMW deal and having to use Cosworth power-plants for 2006, before three years with Toyota engines, harmed the teams competitiveness during this period. Nico would always maximise the available speed in these cars and was not only a regular point scorer but he would also stand on the podium twice in the 2008 season.
The 2010 season saw the return of Mercedes to Grand Prix racing after they bought the 2009 championship winning Brawn team. Nico was signed alongside returning F1 legend Michael Schumacher but the team struggled with only an upgraded 2009 car. Success would soon follow, with Nico taking a maiden win at China in 2012 and then taking a first win around his childhood home of Monaco the following year. From 2014 all the way through to 2016 Mercedes would enjoy a period of sustained domination in F1, with Nico and teammate Lewis Hamilton sharing multiple poles and wins.
Image Source:
Martin Lee, Rosberg FP British GP 2016 1, CC BY-SA 2.0
This dominance meant that the two drivers were often just fighting each other for wins and championships each year and their personal relationship often suffered as a result. Despite this it would be a very profitable time for Nico, taking 30 poles, winning 23 grand prix and emulating his father by winning the 2016 F1 World Drivers Championship. At the end of 2016 Nico decided to retire from all motor racing driving and focus on his young family. He has since taken on media duties with F1 broadcaster Sky and started an entrepreneurial career focused on the environment.
In 2020 Nico helped to set up Rosberg Xtreme Racing, an off-shoot from Team Rosberg, which will compete in the Extreme E off-road series in 2021 and beyond. As owner of the squad Nico has helped form the team, choose the drivers and he will no doubt take an active role in the environmental projects associated with the series.
Career Highlights - Timeline
1994 - 1996
-
Starts Karting and wins class in France
2000
-
Races in Formula Super A series and comes 2nd in European Championship
2001
-
3rd in Kart World Championship in Germany
2002
-
1st in Formula BMW ADAC Championship
-
Williams F1 test (6th December), youngest person to drive a Formula 1 car at that time
2003
Image Source:
Thomas Kraft (ThKraft), Nico Rosberg Formel BMW(ThKraft), CC BY-SA 2.5
-
8th in F3 Euroseries with 1 win (Team Rosberg)
-
Second Williams F1 test
2004
-
4th in F3 Euroseries with 3 wins (Team Rosberg)
-
Wins Macau-Bahrain F3 Challenge Cup
2005
-
Wins the very first GP2 Championship with the ART team
-
Official 2nd test driver role with Williams F1
2006
-
Makes Formula 1 debut with Williams F1
2008
-
First F1 podium with 3rd at Australian Grand Prix
2010
-
Joins the new Mercedes Grand Prix F1 team
2012
-
Wins first F1 race at the Chinese Grand Prix
2013
-
Wins both the Monaco and British Grand Prix's
Image Source:
Image Source:
2014
-
Takes 5 wins and 11 poles in F1, taking a close 2nd in championship and the pole trophy
2015
-
Wins 6 Grand Prix wins and finishes 2nd in Drivers Championship
-
Wins third consecutive Monaco Grand Prix
2016
-
Wins the Formula 1 Drivers World Championship after winning 9 races and taking 8 poles
-
Retires from F1 and all motorsport driving at the end of the year
2020
Image Source:
Martin Lee, Rosberg Hamilton Q3 British GP 2016, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Forms Rosberg Xtreme Racing as an evolution of Team Rosberg, to compete in Extreme E.