Nico Rosberg reflected in a new podcast appearance on the early years of Max Verstappen in Formula 1. The German shared the F1 grid with the Dutchman for two years before hanging up his racing helmet after 2016. Since then, Rosberg has closely followed Verstappen’s development: from the ‘completely crazy’ Red Bull debutant to the four-time world champion he is today.
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During a guest appearance on the High Performance podcast, Rosberg looked back on the battles he fought with Verstappen in 2016. The young Dutchman had completed his rookie season at Toro Rosso and was promoted to Red Bull’s main team, where he emerged as a race winner and further honed his skills. He regularly made life difficult for the dominant Mercedes cars of Lewis Hamilton and Rosberg. At the same time, the Silberpfeile fought a heated title duel.
‘Completely crazy’
“He (Verstappen, ed.) was really completely crazy back then,” Rosberg laughed. “If you fought with him, you always had a fifty percent chance of crashing.” In those early years, Verstappen often faced criticism, both from fellow drivers and the media. The young Dutchman was said to be too aggressive on the track. According to Rosberg, Verstappen has since refined his approach; he praises the growth the Red Bull driver has undergone in the past ten years.
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“Verstappen has changed a lot now,” he continued praise. “He has become much more thoughtful and is racing for the championship.” Finally, he recalled the final race of 2016, in which he ultimately crowned himself world champion. Rosberg had to finish on the podium in Abu Dhabi to claim the title, but for that, he also had to overtake Verstappen. It was a tight duel, but in the end, the German passed him without incident. “I will always be grateful to him for leaving some space then and that we didn’t collide,” he concluded laughing.
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