Nico Rosberg stuns Formula One world with retirement bombshell

Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Teams German driver Nico Rosberg celebrating his victory on his car after the Formula One Japanese Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit Nico Rosberg announced on Friday a shock retirement days after winning Formula One title PicAFPLONDON Nico Rosberg stunned Formula One on Friday with the shock announcement that he was retiring only days after achieving a lifetime ambition by winning his first world championship with MercedesFrom the moment when the destiny of the title was in my own hands the big pressure started and I began to think about ending my racing career if I became world champion the German said in a statementOn Sunday morning in Abu Dhabi I knew that it could be my last race and that feeling cleared my head before the start I wanted to enjoy every part of the experience knowing it might be the last time the 31yearold addedThe driver who had given no previous indication of his intentions said he had made the decision the day after the title raceRosberg who was due to attend the governing FIAs gala prizegiving in Vienna later on Friday along with team mate and triple world champion Lewis Hamilton did not say what he planned to do nextHe will leave with a record of 23 wins in 206 races putting him equal 12th on the alltime lists with Brazilian triple champion Nelson Piquet and as only the second son of a champion to take the titleHis Finnish father Keke was champion with Williams in 1982Nico Rosberg was also the first German driver to win the Formula One title with a German car and team and now becomes the first champion to walk away without defending the title since Frenchman Alain Prost in 1993Since 25 years in racing it has been my dream my one thing to become Formula One World Champion Through the hard work the pain the sacrifices this has been my target And now Ive made it he saidI have climbed my mountain I am on the peak so this feels right My strongest emotion right now is deep gratitude to everybody who supported me to make that dream happenHAMILTON RIVALRYRosbergs battles with Hamilton his boyhood friend and rival in karting have lit up the last couple of seasons and provided plenty of headlines and he said that too had taken its tollThis season I tell you it was so damn tough said the man who also partnered seventimes champion Michael Schumacher and beat him in his early career at MercedesI pushed like crazy in every area after the disappointments of the last two years they fuelled my motivation to levels I had never experienced before And of course that had an impact on the ones I love tooThe Monacobased German married his childhood sweetheart Vivian in 2014 and they had a daughter last year A devoted family man Rosberg said his wife was the first person to know his decisionHe acknowledged that his retirement had put his racing family in a difficult position although Hamilton will now be an even stronger favourite to win his fourth title next seasonRivals also will see a dream vacancy that every driver on the starting grid would jump at if given the chance Mercedes being the most dominant team in the sport with 19 wins in 21 races this seasonMercedes have won the drivers and constructors titles for the past three years in a row and will start next season despite significant rule changes as favourites againMercedes team boss Toto Wolff hailed a brave move and said it was testament to the strength of his characterThe clarity of his judgement meant I accepted his decision straight away when he told me added the AustrianWolff said Mercedes would take time to evaluate their options and they will probably need it given that the top drivers are already signed up by rivalsOne who is still available is reserve driver Pascal Wehrlein who has impressed at tailenders ManorThe 22yearold who holds joint Mauritian and German nationality was passed over however when Mercedespowered Force India went looking for a replacement from the Mercedes stable for Nico HulkenbergFrenchman Esteban Ocon 20 who is also a Mercedescontracted driver was chosen instead with Wolff describing him at the time as boasting the most impressive track record in junior formulaeThat however is unlikely to stop others from thumbing through their contracts to see whether they can engineer a moveNico in numbers in 20169No of wins Rosberg registered this season from 21 races6Most number of fastest laps by the German during this season6No of wins Nico recorded form pole position in 201620No of top 10 finishes Rosberg registered this year16No of podium positions Nico Rosberg registered in 2016