Former Formula 1 driver Jacques Villeneuve has sharply criticized Nico Rosberg. Both won a championship in the premier class, but according to Villeneuve, Rosberg lacks ‘passion’ for the sport, as he retired immediately after securing his title. The German managed to beat Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton in 2016 and promptly hung up his racing suit.
Nico Rosberg raced in Formula 1 for eleven seasons between 2006 and 2016, winning one world title and 23 Grand Prix. The celebrated German also made it to the podium 57 times. Although he drove for several teams, he is best known for his time at Mercedes and his intense rivalry with teammate Lewis Hamilton. During this period, now known as the Silver War, both drivers fiercely competed for the title, reminiscent of the McLaren team in 2025.
‘No passion for racing’
When Rosberg finally managed to beat his British rival in 2016, he retired the same year. Since then, he has served as a Formula 1 expert on various TV channels. However, former driver Jacques Villeneuve, who won the title with Williams in 1997, is not impressed with the expertise of his fellow champion. The Canadian also embarked on a career as an analyst, but unlike Rosberg, he remained active in Formula 1 for nine years after his title season.
‘Rosberg? From the moment he won, you could see he was completely exhausted,’ Villeneuve stated in the Red Flags podcast. ‘He beat Hamilton at the time because he was playing mental games, political games. Of course, he was fast, but Hamilton never saw it coming. That’s why he didn’t have his best season. And as soon as he (Rosberg) had won, he quit. That proves he has no passion for racing. Every time I speak to him, he says he doesn’t miss racing. He simply doesn’t care. He just wanted to win a title, like his father, and then move on. A bit strange, if you ask me.’
Nico Rosberg fought for the title at Mercedes for three years. When he finally managed to beat teammate Lewis Hamilton in 2016, he immediately retired.
