Nico Rosberg no plans for 2017

F1 Update: Aside from relaxing, Nico Rosberg has no plans for the 2017 Formula 1 season opener in March.

“I’m just going to be at home, sitting on a couch, watching TV,” the reigning world champion, who stunned the F1 world by quitting just days after winning his first title, told CNN.

The former Mercedes driver admitted that watching Melbourne on television as the new champion will be strange.

“But I’ll be excited to see the new cars and the battles,” Rosberg said. “I’ll definitely be following.”

Some have suggested that Rosberg only intended to emulate his father’s achievement of winning the title before retiring, while others think he balked at the extraordinary pressure of taking on Lewis Hamilton.

“The pressure and the intensity were unbelievable,” Rosberg admits. “There were some really hard moments along the way. To lose to Lewis in the two championships prior was very, very tough. It’s really not easy to handle. Even when I crossed the line (in Abu Dhabi), I wasn’t happy. I was relieved in the first instance.”

So for now, he will be happy to watch Melbourne from home, but he indicated that he wants to return to F1 in some form in the future.

“I want to be involved in the sport in some way,” Rosberg said. “I know I’ll be a fan of our sport.”

But as for racing, he insists it’s over for now.

“I have a go-kart in the south of France, so if I feel the need to drive, I just go up there with friends,” he said. “Apart from that, nothing at the moment. What I need is competition. There are other sports I also have passion for. I know that even if I play tennis, I can get a similar sort of thrill and fun out of it. So let’s see.”

Category: Formula One