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Rosberg: “Formula E is the epicentre of new technologies”

Former Formula 1-world champion Nico Rosberg has been working behind the scenes of Formula E for quite some time now. Ahead of the Berlin E-Prix, the German took the Gen2 car out for a drive on the streets of Berlin and talked about what the series means to him.

For the first time in a long time you actually sat behind the wheel of a racing car again today. How did it feel? Was the motorsport feeling back instantly?

The car is a real racing car. But Formula E is not just about racing – it’s actually about so much more than just motorsports.

Formula E is a challenge for even the most experienced drivers out there. If you would actually jump into the car – where on the starting grid would we actually find you?

In this series, we actually have some incredibly strong drivers. So I definitely could not simply jump behind the wheel and challenge for any of the top positions. That’s just not in the cards! The level of driving in Formula E is so enormous and it would take quite some time to get settled.

Big manufacturers are joining the series now. How do you think will that actually change things?

It’s a good thing as it is going to boost the series even more. BMW, Audi, Porsche, Mercedes – they are all joining as a customer which is going to be gigantic. I am not sure whether we ever saw something like this in motorsport history. It’s just sensational that these four German manufacturers are going to fight against each other in Formula E.

Do you think there is some kind of dark side to all these big names joining?

I see it as a big chance. Of course, you always have to plan ahead and see how the future will unfold. But that’s something Alejandro [Agag] is doing – and we’ve been talking about it as well.

Alejandro also teased, that we will see a Mario Kart-style race format next season – something for the younger generations. What do you think about that?

In my opinion, that’s definitely the right way to do it. Racing series such as Formula 1 don’t really reach the younger audiences anymore because they are that interested in games. So Alejandro is completely right to go into that direction. If you actually have a good and creative idea, why not do it?

You’re one of the shareholders of Formula E. What’s your strategy behind this investment?

My strategy is very simple: I am completely convinced of e-mobility and the surrounding environment. It is a big chance for our world to make a step towards sustainability. We’re living in extremely fascinating times and nothing like this has ever happened in mobility. The potential is immense and that’s the reason why I back Formula E – which is the epicentre to showcast these new technologies.

Photo by: Rajan Jangda / e-racing.net

 

About Antonia Grzelak
Toni is the founder and CEO of e-racing.net. Apart from taking care of management and marketing, she acts as the editor-in-chief and is responsible for ERN's content strategy. Furthermore, she is our very own caffeine addict and is barely ever seen without a huge coffee mug in her hand.