Rosberg Rejects €100M for Post-F1 Peace

Nico Rosberg chose to retire from Formula 1 after winning the 2016 championship, leaving behind a potential €100 million contract with Mercedes.

Nico Rosberg disclosed that he left 100 million euros on the table at Mercedes F1 when he decided to retire from Formula 1 at the end of his victorious 2016 season.

Rosberg clinched the world championship in 2016, overcoming a tense season finale in Abu Dhabi to beat his teammate Lewis Hamilton by five points.

Five days later, the German stunned the F1 world by announcing his immediate retirement prior to the FIA award ceremony in Vienna.

Rosberg’s retirement decision came a few months after he had signed a new two-year contract to stay with Mercedes until the end of the 2018 season. Eventually, Valtteri Bottas, who was then racing for Williams, was promoted as Hamilton’s new teammate starting in 2017.

Appearing on the Business of Sport podcast, Rosberg – who has since carved out a successful career in media and business – explained that he could have “easily” made 100 million euros if he had completed his new contract with Mercedes.

But the 38-year-old driver insisted that he does not regret his decision to step away from F1.

“I had an existing contract for two additional years and if I had simply continued to drive for a few more years, it would have been easily an additional 100 million euros for me.”

“I am so fortunate to have earned so much money from my sport that this money no longer holds any importance in my considerations.”

“Because I knew that I could accomplish anything anyway with what I had earned, including securing the future of my children and even my future grandchildren.”