Nico Rosberg has revealed how he once went with his father Keke Rosberg for a race tour. After he watched 100,000 people cheer for his father there, he became keen on pursuing a racing career as well. In an episode of the Business of Sport podcast on YouTube, he said,
“I was born in 1985. He (Keke Rosberg) was still racing and like touring cars and things. And so I would really go to the races with my mom. And that seriously, that was like the dream. I mean, to be a race car driver, win races, the crowd going nuts, like 100,000 people cheering your name. Wow. And so that’s for me how my dream was born.”
“34 years after his father, it’s like father, it’s like son” #OnThisDay Nico Rosberg 2016 F1 World Champion ❤️ pic.twitter.com/2lszBnZexY
— ROSBERG aposentado (@RosbergOpressao) November 27, 2021
Keke was an F1 driver from 1978 to 1986. He spent his first four years with bottom-feeder teams but after delivering impressive performances with them, he moved to Williams in 1982. In his first year with the Grove-based outfit, Keke won the coveted F1 championship and etched his name in the sport’s history.
After his last stint with McLaren in 1986, he left F1 but continued racing in various endurance races. Hence, even though Nico never witnessed his father race in F1, he was fortunate enough to watch him race as a kid.
Nico Rosberg felt pressure because of his last name
Nico Rosberg always had the means and the guidance to become a successful F1 driver thanks to his father. However, his father was extremely tough on him during his youth as he wanted to try and get the best out of his son.
Moreover, there was also a lot of pressure on Nico’s shoulders to excel in the sport because of the Rosberg name. However, after impressing in the sport in his early days, he earned a move to the newly formed Mercedes team in 2010.
In his first three years, Nico partnered with seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher. And even when Schumacher retired from the sport in 2013, Nico still did not have it easy as he was pitted against another F1 champion in the form of Lewis Hamilton, who has won seven titles as well.
Despite losing the championship to Hamilton in 2014 and 2015, Nico did not lose hope. The German former driver persevered and made changes by hiring coaches and dedicating his entire year to winning the championship. Come 2016, Nico against all odds beat Hamilton by five points and won his only championship.
