Headlining Nico Rosberg's Farewell: Triumph, Banter, and an Unforeseen Departure
The recent proclamation of F1 World Champion, Nico Rosberg, retiring left social media buzzing in disbelief.
The 31-year-old German, now conquering new peaks, shared his intentions on his official Facebook page, stating, "I've reached the summit and arrive at the peak, so it feels right."
Rosberg clinched his first F1 title at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix during the season finale, finishing second to teammate Lewis Hamilton — a title clinched with a mere 5-point difference.
Nico Rosberg's F1 Racing Legacy (2006-2016)
- 206 Grand-Prix starts
- 30 podium finishes
- 57 top-3 finishes
- 23 victories
- 1 World Championship title
Social media reacted incredulously to Rosberg's announcement, yet also displayed plenty of praise and wit.
Check out some of the best reactions:
The vacant seat at Mercedes sparked a debate regarding the driver that would join Hamilton in the following season.
Twitter user @javiergrandio chimed in, proposing Sebastian Vettel for the post, sharing a phone photo captioned, "Hello? Mercedes?"
Another Twitter user @teeman79 voiced their excitement towards involving the four-time World Champion, stating, "Offer Vettel the Mercedes seat. 'That'd be a fantastic duel with Hamilton'."
Rosberg's Facebook post, at the time of writing, had garnered 12,000 comments. Many, like David McMillan, expressed their admiration.
"This is major news, and, of course, quite surprising. After clinching the title, if he aims for the top, we offer our congratulations and wish him well for the future. Indeed, a true gem in every facet deserves more recognition."
Meanwhile, Iwan Nikolow appealed to the Germans to reconsider, penning, "Take a pause and reconsider, speak now to reduce stress, Nico! Don't do this! You can accomplish so much more back home, what would you do without challenges?"
The Formula 1 community was swift to pay tribute to Rosberg:
"A remarkable champion!!! Much respect for @nico_rosberg #respect", tweeted Force India racer Sergio Perez.
McLaren posted a picture of Rosberg along with Felipe Massa and Jenson Button, axing their helmets after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, stating, "Formula 1 won't be the same without these three giants."
Toto Wolff, Mercedes boss, expressed surprise at Rosberg's "unexpected" decision but was already looking to 2017:
"A totally free @mercedesAMGF1 cockpit next season..."
As Nico Rosberg triumphantly retires from Formula 1 with a considerable 36-point lead in the championship, the question remains: Who will take up the mantle in Mercedes' three-time Constructors' World Championship endeavor? Head over to our to chime in.
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Glimpse further with these reads:
Nico Rosberg bids an emotional farewell to Formula 1 following his Grand Prix d'Abu Dhabi 2016 victory. Social media expresses mixed emotions, a cocktail of disbelief and laughter regarding this unforeseen departure.
As social media echoed with reactions to Rosberg's retirement, fans who followed his career were often surprised about his sudden move upon reaching the pinnacle of motorsports. Many fans continued to support his career, labelling him as a remarkable champion.
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