2016 champion Nico Rosberg is the only driver who has had the privilege (or some may categorize it as being unlucky) of teaming up with two drivers who have won a record seven world championships — Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton. The German credits them both for helping him improve as a racer.
“You always learn when you are up against the greatest of all time,” said Rosberg while speaking of Hamilton to Forbes. “And with him, of course, you pick up some things in terms of driving because we are always looking at each other’s data; you can always learn bits and pieces from the other driver”.
How F1 Champion Nico Rosberg Scored $100 Million For A New VC Fund https://t.co/Axr1QXcwba pic.twitter.com/bhL4weH0qQ
— Forbes (@Forbes) November 15, 2024
Rosberg, being the competitor that he is, knew that if he wanted to prove himself, he needed to step up his game and take the fight to the two greatest of all time. Hence, Rosberg ensured that he “focused on every single detail that was possible,” and gave his 100% to “becoming a champion”.
That involved working very closely with the team, understanding the physics of the car, setting up the car perfectly, and also himself for any race he competed in. Since he had such a daunting task of competing against Schumacher and Hamilton, he not only ensured to stay in good physical shape but also worked on his mental health.
The German revealed that he took two hours of sessions with a therapist every week and also stayed away from social media to ensure he was completely focused on the task at hand. Rosberg eventually received the rewards of his efforts in 2016 when he won his first and only championship in F1.
Rosberg vs Hamilton’s 2016 title battle was personal
Despite being good friends when they first got into F1, it all changed for Hamilton and Rosberg when they got a championship-winning car at Mercedes. With both being extremely competitive, neither wanted to give the other an inch.
Their rivalry peaked in 2016 when Rosberg finally got the confidence to take the fight to Hamilton. With multiple collisions and heated arguments after races, it is fair to say that a rivalry that began with mutual respect for one another quickly turned personal, with both wanting to have bragging rights over the other.
Ultimately, Rosberg edged out Hamilton by five points to win the championship and announced his shock retirement immediately after. While they are yet to recover their friendship, Rosberg still seems to have nothing but respect for Hamilton, which is why he also praised the Briton and labeled him the greatest of all time in his most recent interview.
