2016 F1 Champion Nico Rosberg stated that he has written to Sebastian Vettel to consider racing in Extreme E as it aligns with his environmental goals.
Sebastian Vettel announced his retirement from F1 at the end of the 2022 season after 15 illustrious seasons in F1. The 4-time World Champion stated that he wished to spend more time with his family and work towards his Environmental goals.
Sebastian has been vocal about the need to take a step towards a sustainable future. And Nico Rosberg believes there is a perfect platform for Vettel to pursue racing while achieving his environmental objectives.
Rosberg says the Aston Martin driver would be the ideal driver in Extreme E. He believes, “Sebastian would be an awesome fit for Extreme E.”
Rosberg added, “Because it combines racing with his passion for the environment. So that would be super cool. In fact, I’ve written to him about it to see if his interest will grow.”
Rosberg revealed that Vettel has not responded to his request yet. But the 2016 F1 Champion stated it would make a lot of sense for Vettel considering his family commitments and other initiatives.
Nico Rosberg believes Sebastian Vettel is following his ‘footsteps’.
Just like Sebastian Vettel, Nico Rosberg retired from F1 to follow his passions. Rosberg surprised everyone when he announced his retirement from F1 after winning the 2016 F1 Championship.
Rosberg has since entered the world of entrepreneurship and punditry. He has invested in many upcoming startups that focus on bringing ‘positive change to the environment and society.’ And Rosberg believes Vettel is following his ‘footsteps.’
He claims. “It’s nice to see Sebastian being so keen on this topic, which is important to all of us. And really kind of following in my footsteps as well”
Rosberg continued, “I’ve been doing this now for six years since I stopped racing. I’ve been dedicated to environmental issues with all of my entrepreneurship so it’s really nice to see how he’s following in my footsteps.”
Why racing in Extreme E makes sense for Sebastian Vettel
Nico Rosberg stated that he wished to spend more time with his family just as Sebastian Vettel stated in his retirement video. Rosberg believes he sees similarities between Sebastian’s desire to retire and his future goals.
In 2020, Nico founded the Extreme E team Rosberg X Racing. He won the Constructors title becoming the inaugural Extreme E Champions. The team lead the 2022 championship and are on the verge of winning their 2nd title
Rosberg stated, “What I also like about XE is it’s not a full-time, whole-life commitment because there are not so many races.”
A season of Extreme E features just 5-6 races, allowing Seb to spend time with his family or focus on other commitments. And it is far less stressful than F1, which fewer travelling involved.
Nico adds, “I couldn’t imagine myself being in a team-leading role in F1, ever, because it’s a full-life commitment with 24 races and it’s really every single day, all day long, and travelling around the world. That’s not for me anymore.
Rosberg is not alone, as former teammates Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton too own teams in Extreme E. Hence it would make sense if Seb wishes to pursue the sport as a post-retirement plan. Similar to his aspiration to drive in ROC.
