VIENNA, Austria -- Retiring Formula One world champion Nico Rosberg says he would have continued for at least one more year if he had not won the title this season.
In a surprise announcement ahead of the FIA prize giving gala, Rosberg broke the news that he has raced for the last time in F1 and will retire as reigning world champion this year. Rosberg's contract with the dominant Mercedes team was due to run for another two years, but the decision now leaves the team with a big space to fill on next year's grid.
Rosberg won the title by five points from teammate and rival Lewis Hamilton following a dramatic showdown at the final race in Abu Dhabi, and admitted on Friday night that he would have stayed in F1 in 2017 if things had gone differently.
"I never give up, so if I'd finished second I would have gone for another year, for sure. Definitely," he said after receiving his trophy on stage at the Hofburg palace in Vienna.
"When I was six years old and started out, the dream was very clear: I wanted to become Formula One world champion and that's what I pursued all along and it's mission accomplished for me, I've done it. It's a dream come true and now it's on to other things, with family first. We'll see what the future holds just following my heart."
Although Rosberg did not tell the Mercedes team until earlier this week, he knew he had already made the decision as he crossed the finish line in Abu Dhabi.
"I knew when I won, yeah. I didn't know if I had the courage, but here I am now and I'm very happy.
"It was unbelievably intense and really indescribable at the last four races. That's the moment where it was my championship to lose. The last race is mentally the toughest thing I've done, except for watching my wife suffer through the birth of our daughter -- that was a whole other level."
"It was the toughest thing mentally, but all the more special to come through after that and see the chequered flag and take the title. Big respect also to Lewis, of course, who was a big competitor for all these years, at an awesome level and one of the best drivers out there for sure. Even that makes it that little bit more special as well that I was able to take it away from him."