Nico Rosberg is making use of a long time of Components 1 knowledge to a new position as team proprietor in the Extreme E electric off-road sequence that begins up in the Saudi Arabian desert this weekend.
The 2016 world winner explained to reporters in the course of Friday’s shakedown in Al Ula that he was wary of attempting to micro-control and his technique would be far more Mercedes, the team with whom he received his title, than aged-design Williams.
He recalled how in the course of qualifying for 1 race, Williams co-founder Patrick Head approached him and pulled open up the visor of his helmet.
“Nico, if you go on driving like that you’re going to set us out of business,” Rosberg quoted the famously blunt Briton as stating.
“So I’m not taking any lessons from there, but a person like (Mercedes F1 team manager and co-proprietor) Toto Wolff,” added the 35-12 months-aged German. “It is just that empathy… the empowering and the rely on.”
The Rosberg X Racing team of Sweden’s triple world rallycross winner Johan Kristoffersson and Australian rally driver Molly Taylor is 1 of 9 competing, each with a male and a feminine driver.
Two of the other teams are owned by F1 champions — Rosberg’s aged teammate Lewis Hamilton with X44 and Jenson Button’s JBXE, with the latter also driving.
Rosberg claimed he would examination the ODYSSEY 21 SUV at some stage but, obtaining witnessed the 18km Saudi training course with its daunting drop, was satisfied not to be driving.
“What I appreciate so considerably is how Johan and Molly do the job with each other as effectively, so whole of regard and team collaboration,” he added.
“My teammate (in F1) was my greatest enemy in the world so that team collaboration was like the opposite, how do I make him slower? In this article it is how do we support each other to turn into faster and discover from each other, and that’s so amazing to see.”
9-times world rally winner Sebastian Loeb, who is driving for Hamilton’s team, claimed his car was working effectively on the shakedown.
“No main problems. It is pretty hard. It is extremely fast,” claimed the Frenchman.
Extreme E aims to advertise sustainability by racing in remote elements of the world influenced by local climate improve. Founder Alejandro Agag has known as it “the greatest experiment at any time witnessed in motorsport.”
The sequence transports cars and equipment on board the former British mail ship St Helena, which also serves as a floating research laboratory for a team of scientific specialists.
“For me it is the fantastic match, my enthusiasm for racing and enthusiasm for sustainability blended in this 1 venture,” commented Rosberg.
“What we want to do is raise consciousness for the problems that the Earth is experiencing and demonstrate that we care. So we are keeping on the boat and we also have some of the primary world scientists with us.
“We’re obtaining panels and discussions and genuinely studying a thing. That is at the heart of this championship, and that’s what I genuinely appreciate a whole lot.”
Saturday sees four qualifying time demo sessions just before semi-finals and ultimate on Sunday.