Life must be good as a retired Formula 1 Champion.
No more globetrotting every other week, no team more performance briefings and no concern for a four power unit per season engine rule.
Nico Rosberg has seemingly adapted well to a post-racing retirement life, but an opportunity to thrash his old hybrid Mercedes F1 car at Goodwood Festival of Motorsport was too good to miss – and thrash he did.
Footage from Goodwood over the weekend is sure proof that Rosberg has forgotten all about the engine rule he was subject to over the last three seasons in Formula 1.
Piloting the WO5 Mercedes F1, a car that dominated the 2014 season winning 19 of 16 races, Rosberg decided to take the “‘Mad Mike’ Whiddett” approach up the hill by destroying as much of the tyre on the way up as possible.
Thing is though – he couldn’t quite keep it on the black stuff.
After botching a ‘Scandinavian flick’ (I assume this isn’t a straight forward process in a modern F1 car) Rosberg finds himself on the grass infront of Goodwood house.
‘No bother,’ must of been Rosberg’s responce , as he gives the F1 car a bootfill, sending dirt flying into the crowed and the turbocharged 1.6-litre V6 hybrid bouncing off the rev limiter.
We can let the current champion off once, but he goes onto do it two more times before eventually crossing the finish line, dust and all.
Mercedes engine builders could not be found for comment.
But like I said, life must be good as a retired champion if Mercedes allow you to do that.