Nico Rosberg is making use of years of Formulation One expertise to a brand new function as group proprietor within the Excessive E electrical off-road sequence that begins up within the Saudi Arabian desert this weekend.
The 2016 world champion informed reporters throughout Friday’s shakedown in Al Ula that he was cautious of attempting to micro-manage and his method can be extra Mercedes, the group with whom he gained his title, than old-style Williams.
He recalled how throughout qualifying for one race, Williams co-founder Patrick Head approached him and pulled open the visor of his helmet.
“Nico, for those who proceed driving like that you just’re going to place us out of enterprise,” Rosberg quoted the famously blunt Briton as saying.
“So I’m not taking any classes from there, however somebody like (Mercedes F1 group boss and co-owner) Toto Wolff,” added the 35-year-old German. “It’s simply that empathy… the empowering and the belief.”
The Rosberg X Racing group of Sweden’s triple world rallycross champion Johan Kristoffersson and Australian rally driver Molly Taylor is one in every of 9 competing, every with a male and a feminine driver.
Two of the opposite groups are owned by F1 champions — Rosberg’s previous teammate Lewis Hamilton with X44 and Jenson Button’s JBXE, with the latter additionally driving.
Rosberg mentioned he would check the ODYSSEY 21 SUV in some unspecified time in the future however, having seen the 18km Saudi course with its daunting drop, was joyful to not be driving.
“What I like a lot is how Johan and Molly work collectively as nicely, so filled with respect and group collaboration,” he added.
“My teammate (in F1) was my greatest enemy on the planet in order that group collaboration was like the alternative, how do I make him slower? Right here it’s how will we assist one another to grow to be sooner and be taught from one another, and that’s so cool to see.”
9-times world rally champion Sebastian Loeb, who’s driving for Hamilton’s group, mentioned his automotive was working nicely on the shakedown.
“No main issues. It’s fairly robust. It’s very quick,” mentioned the Frenchman.
Excessive E goals to advertise sustainability by racing in distant components of the world affected by local weather change. Founder Alejandro Agag has known as it “the most important experiment ever seen in motorsport.”
The sequence transports automotives and tools on board the previous British mail ship St Helena, which additionally serves as a floating analysis laboratory for a group of scientific specialists.
“For me it’s the proper match, my ardour for racing and keenness for sustainability mixed on this one mission,” commented Rosberg.
“What we wish to do is increase consciousness for the issues that the Earth is dealing with and present that we automotivee. So we’re staying on the boat and we even have a number of the main world scientists with us.
“We’re having panels and discussions and actually studying one thing. That’s on the coronary heart of this championship, and that’s what I actually love rather a lot.”
Saturday sees 4 qualifying time trial classes earlier than semi-finals and closing on Sunday.
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