Rosberg F1 return discussed now Hamilton is leaving Mercedes. One of the most ferocious team mate battles in recent Formula One history was between Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton. Their on track battles were epic as the pair fought for three years foe world titles as team mates between 2014 and 2016.

Rosberg was recruited to the Mercedes team back in 2010 following the acquisition from Brawn GP. The son of former F1 world champion driver Keke Rosberg had been headhunted previously and was linked with several teams for the 2008 season.

 

 

 

Rosberg pedigree shines

McLaren famously offered Frank Williams “majestic proportions” to sign Rosberg to replace the outgoing two-time world champion Fernando Alonso but Williams decided to enforce Nico’s contract and he remained with the Grove based team until the year of 2010.

As Mercedes sought to gain a foothold at the front of the Formula One grid, they signed seven times world champion Michael Schumacher out of retirement to partner Rosberg.

In all three seasons they raced as team mates, Rosberg finished ahead of Schumacher in the drivers’ championship and in 2010 and 2012, Rosberg came close to scoring double the number of points of his more decorated team-mate. Schumacher was just 13 points behind in 2010 but overall Rosberg held the final advantage with 324 points to 197.

Nico proved his worth wining out 41 times to 17 in qualifying against his former champion co-driver and was then faced with the challenge of beating Lewis Hamilton who team boss Ross Brawn recruited for the 2013 season.

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Hamilton reeled in by team mate

In their first season together Hamilton narrowly eclipsed his team mate scoring 189 points to Rosberg’s 171. But that year Hamilton won just one Grand Prix while his German rival claimed two top of the podium finishes.

As the new F1 power unit era dawned in 2014, it became quickly clear that Mercedes had aced the brief and would be on top of the pile. The two drivers were easily the class of the field with Hamilton claiming the drivers’ championship ahead of his team mate.

Hamilton was again victorious the following season the Nico was the better driving over the closing rounds of the year. Then in 2016 Hamilton lost out to a team mate for only the second time in his career as Rosberg followed in his father’s footsteps in becoming Formula One’s drivers’ champion.

The triple world champion had taken a lead of 27 points into the European rounds over his team mate but Rosberg showed his class  as he overhauled the deficit and completed the year 59 points ahead of Hamilton. 

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Acrimony at Mercedes

The year had been filled with acrimony at Mercedes as Toto Wolff tried desperately to control his two pilots who used every trick in the book to gain an advantage over the other. Both seemed drained at the end of the year from the sheer mental effort to overcome their arch rival and within days of claiming the championship Rosberg announced his retirement from the sport.

His replacement at Mercedes Valtteri Bottas was never to hit the highlights that Rosberg achieved and played an accommodating second fiddle to Hamilton who then won four more titles in a row as the Mercedes band waggon rolled on.

With Hamilton announcing his shock departure to Ferrari next year, Mercedes face a conundrum over who they recruit to replace him. They have a Hamilton-esque prodigy Andrea Kimi Antonelli, though having skipped F3 altogether he will start his first season in senior single seat racing for Prima in Formula Two.

With Lewis apparently secured for two years, this would have allowed Antonelli to find his feet and the perceived wisdom is Mercedes want him ton complete two years at that level of racing.

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Silver Arrows need stop gap driver

This means signing a stop gap driver for 2025 as partner for George Russell to prevent Antonelli from being overwhelmed. Toto Wolff has stressed he doesn’t wan to rush the 17 year old Italian’s progression and he may complete his first year in F1 for a lower ranked team.

Four times world champion Sebastian Vettel,. Double world champion Fernando Alonso and Nico Rosberg have all been linked with a fill in roll alongside George Russell until the new regulations arrive in 2026.

Alonso has demonstrated his passion to continue in F1 indefinitely and left Alpine in the lurch when he announced his move ton Aston Martin. The Spaniard had wanted a two year deal with the French squad but was offered just one yer while they blooded their young driver Oscar Pistri.

This means its highly improbable Fernando would take a one year contract with Mercedes unless they prove this year they can compete for world championships.

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Rosberg denies comeback

Sebastian Vettel appears the most likely of the come back kings to fill Mercedes hole given he will have been retired from F1 for just two years when Lewis leaves for Ferrari. Yet a return for Nico Rosberg is a fascinating prospect and a real matchup to measure how well George Russell is developing.

But Nico now confirms he will not be returning to Mercedes or even Formula One as he quashes rumours of a Mercedes reunion.

“That’s over, I’m not planning a comeback,” Rosberg told German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung.

Having spent seven seasons out of the sport, Rosberg is still younger than Lewis Hamilton. But in retirement he now believes in having a “great respect for the danger” which will allows heightened in the pinnacle of motorsport.

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Vettel return Schumacher-esque

“I couldn’t just do that either,” Rosberg admitted. “I would have to prepare intensively for a whole year, if only to train the synapses (neuron connectors) in my brain.

“A racing driver has to react super-fast at top speed and be precise. I’ve lost that after the long break. The muscles are also put under so much strain, just to hold the steering wheel with all the centrifugal forces.”

F1 comebacks for former champions are rare but they create huge interest amongst the fans. The Michael Schumacher return was greeted with great anticipation though the German ace was unable to repeat his achievements at Benetton and Ferrari.

Fernando Alonso took two years out and went on to claim another of motorsport’s triple crown title. By winning Le Mans he is just one event away from a feat only accomplished by Graham Hill, which is to win the Grand Prix of Monaco, Le Mans and the Indianapolis 500 race.

His comeback to F1 has followed by millions of fans as the Spaniard clings to the hope he can yet claim a third F1 drivers’ title and a Vettel return would be Schumacher-esque in style.

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