Toto Wolff: “A courageous decision”

The announcement of the retirement of the F1 of the brand new world champion Nico Rosberg surprised everyone. The German pilot, who emerged victorious from his tense duel with Lewis Hamilton for obtaining the 2016 crown, made his decision official in a long message on social networks.

A decision that surprised the clan Mercedes, to start with Toto wolff. “For the team, this is an unexpected but also exciting situation,” said the Mercedes-Benz Motorsport boss. We are entering a new era of technical regulations and there is a free Mercedes cockpit for the coming seasons. We will take the time necessary to evaluate our options and then make the right choice for our future. »

The Austrian, however, admires the courage of his driver's decision. “It’s a true testament to his strength of character.” He chose to leave at the peak of his career, as World Champion, after realizing his childhood dream. The clarity of his judgment meant that I had to accept his decision immediately when he announced it to me.

It is impossible to capture the essence of a person in a few words. But Nico has a truly special combination of natural talent and fighting spirit that has brought him to where he is today.

Throughout his career, people thought he was on a golden path to success just because his father was a world champion. In fact, I think in some ways the challenge was greater, and he had to struggle even more with the weight of expectation on his shoulders.

With Mercedes, Nico was a relentless competitor, who could bounce back from difficult times in an inspired way, and he earned the respect of the sport with his tenacity, fighting spirit and elegance under pressure.

Since 2010, he has brought competitive energy to our team and we have grown stronger because of it. We simply say "thank you" for his incredible contribution to our success, alongside two of the greatest drivers of all time, Michael (Schumacher) and Lewis (Hamilton). »