Nico Rosberg comments on return to Formula 1

Nico Rosberg's Extreme E team lost the title to Lewis Hamilton's X44 squad.

2016 Formula 1 World Champion Nico Rosberg has categorically ruled out ever making a switch to Formula 1 management, with the German having no interest in becoming a team principal of an F1 side.

The 37-year-old, who retired from F1 immediately after claiming his sole World Championship, has been enjoying life as an owner of an Extreme E side since the sport’s creation in 2021.

His side, Rosberg X Racing, claimed the inaugural title but failed to retain it at the Season Two finale last weekend, where the German’s side interestingly lost out to an old rival of his.

Seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton also owns a side in the electric off-road series, named X44.

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It was Hamilton’s team who clinched the title on Sunday, resulting in Rosberg congratulating his former team-mate.

Rosberg’s relationship with Hamilton is one of sadness in an odd way, with the pair having driven apart from one another through the goal of claiming a world title.

The duo grew up racing karts together, with Hamilton having mentioned before how they used to sometimes go to races together.

Even when the British driver moved to Mercedes to join Rosberg, the pair initially maintained their friendship, before it became a ferocious rivalry when they were duelling for victories.

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Rosberg and Hamilton haven’t really been seen together since the German’s retirement, demonstrating that fighting for a title can break the strongest of friendships.

The German, who also drove for Williams, noted that the “intensity” of the championship would take away what he loves about his life, hence why he has no interest in becoming an F1 team principal.

“My answer is clearly no,” he told the Spanish newspaper AS.

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“The thing about Extreme E is that there aren’t too many races – five races a year to 24 in F1. So F1 is a full-time dedication of your life.

“There is then very little space to dedicate time to family, friends – and I’ve done that already. The racing driver that I was and the person that I am now, we never want to do that again.

“That intensity, that dedication, that inflexibility in life. I love my life now and that means I could never have a full-time job in Formula 1 again.”