Nico Rosberg to retire from F1 (!)

[Restomaniac]

I understand you never switched from employer? Sure u act as a team if your are in there, but u feel it is better to go, then go. It is no point keeping up appearences if you don't commit to the team for 100%.

Lewis switch, Alonso did, Vettel also. The team will get over it, they will find another great driver and get on. Everybody is replacable.

But he hasn't switched. He has walked out.
Merc clearly knew nothing about this until Rosberg dropped it in them. Lauda makes that clear.

It's highly doubtful from Sunday to Friday that Rosberg has made this decision. It's not something you wake up one day and think 'yep I'm off' you have to look at it long term. Which means he has known this is coming and the team have been blissfully unaware whilst backing him to the hilt.
Those are not the actions of a nice guy they are the actions of a selfish individual who cares about nobody but himself.
It's also the actions of a hypocrite! Anyone remember Chinese Grand Prix 2015? I'll give you a quote from Nico Rosberg 'It's interesting to hear from you, Lewis, that you were thinking about yourself'. Yet as soon a Rosbergs gets what he wants he runs out of Merc as quickly as he could.

On your last point name me another 'great driver' that is available and not under contract ATM?

They don't need a great driver, they just need a good one. In Hamilton they already have their race winner and marketing driver. They just need a driver who is within a few tenths of him and steady enough to finish races, even when it's a bit difficult.
The last few years the difference in cars have been greater then the difference in drivers, with lots of 1-2 3-4 5-6 etc all the way trough the grid. It looks that marketing image is taking a bigger and bigger spot (and the new rules prob split the cars even more apart), so Mercedes is looking for an image to counter balance Hamilton. Rosberg was everything Hamilton was not and visa-versa.

I think Bottas. He can be as boring as Rosberg if he puts in some effort

I disagree on your point over the rules.
They have been brought it to tighten the gaps between engines and more aero is just down RB's street.
Merc won't have the dominance they have had IMHO.

Looking at your Bottas situation he is under contract so he is out of the question. This applies to most of the current F1 field. It's not as easy as is being made out.

[NL_Fer]

Walk out or switch employer, it is the same at the end. My soon to won't be employer anymore, never expected anything. You find a better job, get the contract and the old one never knows until the resignation paper comes in. And like in normal life, people sometimes are shocked at first, be soon learn to get on and look ahead.

From a marketing point Nico represented the old Mercedes buyer, the distingished German gentleman and Lewis the next generation cool kid. So yeah, from that perspective finding a distingished replacement will be hard.

But than again, contracts in f1 mean ---.

[Restomaniac]

Walk out or switch employer, it is the same at the end. My soon to won't be employer anymore, never expected anything. You find a better job, get the contract and the old one never knows until the resignation paper comes in. And like in normal life, people sometimes are shocked at first, be soon learn to get on and look ahead.

From a marketing point Nico represented the old Mercedes buyer, the distingished German gentleman and Lewis the next generation cool kid. So yeah, from that perspective finding a distingished replacement will be hard.

But than again, contracts in f1 mean ---.

Has your soon to be employer got you to sign a multi year deal that you have shown no intention to walk out on until you did? Have they also backed you to the hilt over another employee and just given you the one thing you have wanted your entire life?
Have you also berated that same other employee for an action only for you to do exactly that yourself? Have you also done something nobody else in the history of your profession has done when you walked out and left your job and your profession?

[NL_Fer]

Take an expensive course for the company, then left, yes. Take a promotion over another colleage, then go, yes. In the end everybody is there for themselves.

But you neglected my first and most important point, why would they keep Nico in the seat, and pay him 20M if he does not have the total commitment anymore. It would be useless, and a waste of money and a good racing seat.

[Restomaniac]

Take an expensive course for the company, then left, yes. Take a promotion over another colleage, then go, yes. In the end everybody is there for themselves.

But you neglected my first and most important point, why would they keep Nico in the seat, and pay him 20M if he does not have the total commitment anymore. It would be useless, and a waste of money and a good racing seat.

Having 2 WDC drivers in both the Mercs. That's a pretty good outcome for Merc to sell no matter how interested Rosberg is.

The team didn't know this was coming and are now in a bind. This is how you repay someone who has just given you your dreams desire? It's not the same as a normal job. This is the point I'm making.
He is also a hypocrite as I have stated.

[NathanOlder]

Take an expensive course for the company, then left, yes. Take a promotion over another colleage, then go, yes. In the end everybody is there for themselves.
.

And if you leave in any of those situations everyone at that company calls you a ###### and complains about you. The only one happy will be the guy/girl who gets to replace you. Which will be the same in this instance.
The fans have every right to call Nico what they like for this as he has taken a big #### on the employer who have put everything behind him for 0 reward.

[Jolle]

But he hasn't switched. He has walked out.
Merc clearly knew nothing about this until Rosberg dropped it in them. Lauda makes that clear.

It's highly doubtful from Sunday to Friday that Rosberg has made this decision. It's not something you wake up one day and think 'yep I'm off' you have to look at it long term. Which means he has known this is coming and the team have been blissfully unaware whilst backing him to the hilt.
Those are not the actions of a nice guy they are the actions of a selfish individual who cares about nobody but himself.
It's also the actions of a hypocrite! Anyone remember Chinese Grand Prix 2015? I'll give you a quote from Nico Rosberg 'It's interesting to hear from you, Lewis, that you were thinking about yourself'. Yet as soon a Rosbergs gets what he wants he runs out of Merc as quickly as he could.

On your last point name me another 'great driver' that is available and not under contract ATM?

They don't need a great driver, they just need a good one. In Hamilton they already have their race winner and marketing driver. They just need a driver who is within a few tenths of him and steady enough to finish races, even when it's a bit difficult.
The last few years the difference in cars have been greater then the difference in drivers, with lots of 1-2 3-4 5-6 etc all the way trough the grid. It looks that marketing image is taking a bigger and bigger spot (and the new rules prob split the cars even more apart), so Mercedes is looking for an image to counter balance Hamilton. Rosberg was everything Hamilton was not and visa-versa.

I think Bottas. He can be as boring as Rosberg if he puts in some effort

I disagree on your point over the rules.
They have been brought it to tighten the gaps between engines and more aero is just down RB's street.
Merc won't have the dominance they have had IMHO.

Looking at your Bottas situation he is under contract so he is out of the question. This applies to most of the current F1 field. It's not as easy as is being made out.

In the past, every (big) rule change widened the gap between the teams. This one will not be different. The last two big changes, the Brawn/Mercedes team came out on top in a spectacular way.

And for Bottas. His contract is made and overlooked by Wolff, as is Williams PU contract. Wolff will have special clauses in there to get him at any time, that's just pure logic.

[GrandAxe]

I'm surprised at the people who are defending Rosberg's shafting of his mechanics, Mercedes and above all, F1.
The reason any sport is set up is for the price cocks, the confident, the brave, the daring, the strong and the best of the very best to fearlessly take on all comers. Sports are set up for champions to challenge all comers, to preen and display themselves, while elevating human capabilities to new heights.

Sport is most certainly not set up for lucky, wimpy types who drop the gauntlet and run for the nearest exit even before being challenged.

F1 has been dealt a heavy blow. Indeed, the weight of that blow can be measured by the fact that Bernie and Toto flew from wherever they were in the world to hold talks over the matter, if even at an informal level. Here is a quote from Bernie:

“It was just as big a shock to me as you,” he told Reuters.
“I had dinner with Toto last night and he obviously couldn’t say anything to me (about it).”

http://www.planetf1.com/news/bernie-ros ... big-shock/

It was a management failure of tectonic proportions not to see through Nico after all these years. Its a fair bet that heads will roll and we will be discussing top movements at Mercedes by this time next year. Right now, Mercedes will need all its resources to both manage the PR situation and to groom top level replacements without rocking the boat further.

[PlatinumZealot]

Rosberg is a user and a coward.
I understand the pressures he put his family under in order to beat hamilton. Keywords: beat hamilton. He has done that now so there is no need to isolate himself from his family anymore. He could well have given Mercedes their money's worth by showing up in2017 relaxed and confident and not focusing on beating Lewis. Just drive to get Mercedes to the WCC. No more mind games, just show up and race and go back home and enjoy his family. It is really that simple. But no.. He doesnt want to lose to Lewis again. He rather give a middle finger to the whole team, and run home with his ball.

[muhammadtalha.13893]

To everyone complaining, WTF do you even care? You're not part of Mercedes, and Nico is not, by far, your favorite driver. Its obvious from your comments you're just ****hurt about something and are trying to vent your frustration. Get over it and move on, and maybe discuss who is going to replace him rather than keep crying about how he betrayed Mercedes. Don't pretend like you lost something valuable just because he left.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

[PlatinumZealot]

Not as butt hurt as those poor mechanics are right now. Remember the ones that were switched from Nico's to Lewis' side of the garage? They have never tasted a world championship after three years in a dominant team. Let us mention the ones that stayed back on Nico side; they certainly wont get to know the feeling of being in the champions garage next year after the hell hole that was 2016. Furthermore, Dr. Z won't get to see the his investment in Nico. No two world champions in the car. No blond blue eyed german champion fly the mercedes flag. What awaste.

[Manoah2u]

2017 Enter Alonso, the experienced +6 tenths wonder and give Lewis a real run for his money
2018 Enter Vettel, the blonde blue eyed Ary...ehhh...German,

both ex-Ferrari, with Alonso retire-ing in 2019 to see Wehrlein there, double german German wet dream.

Enter Lewis 2018 @ Ferrari, alongside Ricciardo and kick some WDC and WCC *ss.

err wait, i keep confusing this thread with the silly season thread lol. its almost the same!

[noname]

(...) What awaste.

3 WDC and 3 WCC in 3 years.
Poor Ghosn and Marchionne, they should kill themselves.

[diego1960]

2017 Enter Alonso, the experienced +6 tenths wonder and give Lewis a real run for his money
2018 Enter Vettel, the blonde blue eyed Ary...ehhh...German,

both ex-Ferrari, with Alonso retire-ing in 2019 to see Wehrlein there, double german German wet dream.

Enter Lewis 2018 @ Ferrari, alongside Ricciardo and kick some WDC and WCC *ss.

err wait, i keep confusing this thread with the silly season thread lol. its almost the same!

That would actually be pretty cool, we would get all the "battles" we want, plus big-names switching teams etc.

Wehrlein too would be better to appear in 2019 than 2017 but let's wait, I've got a feeling that they will go for the boring solutions, either Wehrlein or Bottas...

[PlatinumZealot]

(...) What awaste.

3 WDC and 3 WCC in 3 years.
Poor Ghosn and Marchionne, they should kill themselves.

You do know that Merc could have won those championships with Luca Badoer in the other seat, right. Nico owes Mercedes at least one year of parading around like a little PR monkey like the other champions had to do - all those people poured their heart into it for him. Toto lied for him. Paddy embarrased himself for him. Jesus, Bernie nearly slipped a disk! Pay them back in some way. Represent them on the track for one more year at least.