Rosberg retires from Formula 1posted in F102 | 12 | 2016

    NEWLY-CROWNED FORMULA 1 world champion, Nico Rosberg, has surprised the motorsport world by announcing his immediate retirement. He is the first reigning world champion to retire since Alain Prost in 1993.

    Just five days after he pipped Mercedes team-mate Lewis hamilton to the 2016 title by finishing second in the season finale in Abu Dhabi, Rosberg explained he “couldn't commit to another F1 title fight”.

    Speaking ahead of this evening’s FIA Prize Giving Gala in Vienna, the 31-year-old German, who won nine of this season's 21 grands prix, said: “ I want to take the opportunity to announce I have decided to end my Formula 1 career in this moment here.

    "I have climbed my mountain, I am on the peak, so this feels right. For 25 years in racing, it has been my dream, my 'one thing' to become Formula 1 world champion.

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    “Through the hard work, the pain, the sacrifices, this has been my target. And now I've made it It has been an incredible experience for me that I will remember forever.

    “My strongest emotion right now is deep gratitude to everybody who supported me to make that dream happen.

    “This season, I tell you, it was so damn tough. I 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, too – it was a whole family effort of sacrifice, putting everything behind our target. I cannot find enough words to thank my wife Vivian; she has been incredible.

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    “She understood that this year was the big one, our opportunity to do it, and created the space for me to get full recovery between every race, looking after our daughter each night, taking over when things got tough and putting our championship first.

    “When I won the race in Suzuka, from 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. On 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… and then the lights went out and I had the most intense 55 laps of my life. I took my decision on Monday evening. After reflecting for a day, the first people I told were Vivian and Georg (Nolte, from Nico’s management team), followed by Toto.

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    “The only thing that makes this decision in any way difficult for me is because I am putting my racing family into a tough situation. But Toto understood. He knew straight away that I was completely convinced and that reassured me. My proudest achievement in racing will always be to have won the world championship with this incredible team of people, the Silver Arrows.

    “Now, I’m just here to enjoy the moment. There is time to savour the next weeks, to reflect on the season and to enjoy every experience that comes my way. After that, I will turn the next corner in my life and see what it has in store for me…”

    Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said the news took him "completely by surprise".

    "This is a brave decision by Nico and a testament to the strength of his character," he added.

    "The clarity of his judgement meant I accepted his decision straight away when he told me."

    Related: Hamilton — "Why did team interfere"

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    Jim McGill

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