Da frick? Kind of dissapointed he's running for the hills with his victory and doesn't want to put up another (clean) fight next year with a new car. I respect he's been on the scene now for so long now, but this just smells like either "I don't want to lose" or "my Formula 1 career has my finacial worries covered, why bother making more..". I don't get it, he's currently one of the best Drivers on the grid and he just walks away..!??
Until otherwise informed, I think we must take him at his word about putting his family ahead of racing at this point. But I expect we have not seen the last of him.
He wouldn't be the first F1 driver to retire as champion. Hawthorn, Stewart and Prost all did it. Arguably, Mike Hawthorn and Jackie Stewart still had years of racing left in them when they retired too.
but this just smells like either "I don't want to lose" or "my Formula 1 career has my finacial worries covered, why bother making more..". I don't get it, he's currently one of the best Drivers on the grid and he just walks away..!??
Alonso and Hamilton would both be able to handle such a battle.
That said, Mercedes are likely to just plonk Wehrlein in the seat, so don't expect much, unless they somehow nab Verstappen.
It's quite a shock. But i can see his point of view. He has achieved his life-time goal and dream. He probably has asked himself: what else can i achieve? Winning a second or third championship? Probably. But that would have been really difficult against Hamilton and - with the right car - Verstappen. Nico is a great, clever driver but i think he's lacking the killer instinct that Hamilton, Verstappen and Vettel have. I'm sure he knows that.
So how about this... Nico for Porsche in Le Mans. I would like to see that *.*
I want Vettel to go to Mercedes only to find out it's a turd compared to the last couple of years, and see RBR and Ferrari fight for the WDC and WCC. Oh and McClaren of course.
It's quite a shock. But i can see his point of view. He has achieved his life-time goal and dream. He probably has asked himself: what else can i achieve? Winning a second or third championship? Probably. But that would have been really difficult against Hamilton and - with the right car - Verstappen. Nico is a great, clever driver but i think he's lacking the killer instinct that Hamilton, Verstappen and Vettel have. I'm sure he knows that.
So how about this... Nico for Porsche in Le Mans. I would like to see that *.*
My feeling is that he was always too nice for F1. He seems like a good guy and everyone I've heard talking about him said he was too nice for f1 even his closest friend.
And Lewis attitude probably comfort him that he need to move on. Good for him sad for us, as we loose one of the fastest drivers on the grid.
As for his replacement, it depends what Mercedes is looking for but I wouldn't be surprised that they avoid the headache for next year and get a "rookie" driver. Ocon would do the trick. Off course they are probably talking with Jos now but I doubt Max will move.
Yes, maybe. But hes just 31, a bit too young to live the quiet, happy family life. Sooner or later he will be missing the race track. I'm sure he will be back on the track sooner or later. For the WEC and Porsche, a Rosberg deal would be quite HUGE. Out of nowhere, even the mainstream media would cover every race. But we will see.
Yes, maybe. But hes just 31, a bit too young to live the quiet, happy family life. Sooner or later he will be missing the race track. I'm sure he will be back on the track sooner or later. For the WEC and Porsche, a Rosberg deal would be quite HUGE. Out of nowhere, even the mainstream media would cover every race. But we will see.
As for his replacement, it depends what Mercedes is looking for but I wouldn't be surprised that they avoid the headache for next year and get a "rookie" driver. Ocon would do the trick. Off course they are probably talking with Jos now but I doubt Max will move.
Well, Mercedes has no german driver now. Don't know if this is a problem for them but a couple of years ago Mercedes GP started with TWO german drivers. Wehrlein could be a logical choice. He's already the Mercedes test driver and has no cockpit for next season. To be honest i would rather see someone else in his position, someone who has already proven himself in the F1 or another high-profile series. Andre Lotterer, anyone?
Well, Mercedes has no german driver now. Don't know if this is a problem for them but a couple of years ago Mercedes GP started with TWO german drivers. Wehrlein could be a logical choice. He's already the Mercedes test driver and has no cockpit for next season. To be honest i would rather see someone else in his position, someone who has already proven himself in the F1 or another high-profile series. Andre Lotterer, anyone?
It makes no sens to take Wehrlein because they just helped promoted Ocon and left Pascal at Manor. Obviously they support Ocon more. That's only my opinion tho.
It makes no sens to take Wehrlein because they just helped promoted Ocon and left Pascal at Manor. Obviously they support Ocon more. That's only my opinion tho.
I definitely admire his choice, he did the thing he wanted to do and now he's walking away. Sure he probably has a chance to be double world champion but he just doesn't care to do that. Good for him.
Yes, maybe. But hes just 31, a bit too young to live the quiet, happy family life. Sooner or later he will be missing the race track. I'm sure he will be back on the track sooner or later. For the WEC and Porsche, a Rosberg deal would be quite HUGE. Out of nowhere, even the mainstream media would cover every race. But we will see.
A lot of F1 drivers couldn't give a damn about racing in any other series. They've been pushing for a F1 WDC since they were 5 years old. Nothing else interests them.
A lot of F1 drivers couldn't give a damn about racing in any other series. They've been pushing for a F1 WDC since they were 5 years old. Nothing else interests them.
If he's retiring because he's now a husband and father and his priorities have changed, racing in another equally (or even more so) dangerous series is also going to be out of the question.
If he's retiring because he's now a husband and father and his priorities have changed, racing in another equally (or even more so) dangerous series is also going to be out of the question.
I'm thinking the family angle is what matters most. Nico has obviously benefitted from being in a more settled spot, emotionally, than Lewis this season, unlike the previous two... what he says about family support seems to back this up... and now it's time for him to give back a bit.
Yes, maybe. But hes just 31, a bit too young to live the quiet, happy family life. Sooner or later he will be missing the race track. I'm sure he will be back on the track sooner or later. For the WEC and Porsche, a Rosberg deal would be quite HUGE. Out of nowhere, even the mainstream media would cover every race. But we will see.
I dunno, it's not old but it's also not young. Racing will always carry that danger element no matter what it is, it's the reason a lot of drivers don't even plan to have kids until they retire. If he's earned enough, and is content with family life, I think it's perfectly reasonable that we've seen the last of him competively. I mean if the new, 2017 F1 cars with fat tyres can't persuade him is an LMP or DTM car likely to?
