Jacques Villeneuve has openly criticized Nico Rosberg, the former Mercedes teammate of Lewis Hamilton, accusing him of lacking the passion to compete in Formula 1. Villeneuve highlighted that Rosberg’s drive was focused solely on winning the championship, as evidenced by his unexpected retirement just days after clinching the 2016 World Championship, despite having a contract with Mercedes until 2018.
Nico Rosberg began his Formula 1 career in 2006 and joined Mercedes in 2010 when the team was struggling in the midfield ranks, despite being a reigning champion at the time. Over the following years, Mercedes climbed to the forefront of the sport, especially after the introduction of turbo-hybrid engines in 2014, sparking one of the most intense rivalries in recent F1 history between Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton.
During the 2014 and 2015 seasons, Lewis Hamilton secured the drivers’ titles, but Rosberg mounted a strong challenge in 2016, culminating in winning the championship at the Abu Dhabi season finale. This victory echoed the achievement of his father, Keke Rosberg, who had secured the world title in 1982. However, Rosberg’s retirement announcement came just five days after his championship win, raising questions about his commitment to racing.
Villeneuve questions Rosberg’s motivation behind racing and sudden retirement
Jacques Villeneuve sharply criticized Rosberg’s mindset following his 2016 world title triumph. On the Red Flags podcast, Villeneuve remarked that the German driver seemed mentally exhausted immediately after his victory. He suggested that Rosberg’s success resulted more from playing strategic and political games on track rather than embodying a true racing passion.
“Rosberg; the minute he won, you could see he was completely spent. He won mentally over Hamilton because he played the game. He played the political game. He was quick in that season against Lewis, but Lewis never saw it coming so we didn’t see the best Lewis. And the minute he won, he gave up. So you could tell that he had no passion for racing.” —Jacques Villeneuve, 1997 F1 World Champion
“And every time I see him, he doesn’t miss racing. He really doesn’t care about racing. All he was wanting to do was win a championship like his dad and then move on. Something strange. He did manage to win a championship but then he didn’t want it anymore. Didn’t want to hold a steering wheel anymore.” —Jacques Villeneuve, 1997 F1 World Champion
Despite Rosberg’s retirement and Villeneuve’s remarks, Lewis Hamilton continued to pursue his Formula 1 career at Mercedes, amassing four additional drivers’ titles. The rivalry between the two former teammates remained tense following the 2016 season.
Rosberg reflects on rivalry with Hamilton without regrets
Although the competition between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg strained their friendship, Rosberg spoke candidly about their intense battles in a 2022 Eurosport interview. He expressed no regrets over his approach and attitude during their rivalry, emphasizing the significance of that period for both drivers and their careers.
“I don’t regret anything. It was a sensational time and a mega fight. I’m very proud of that. We’re now back in neutral, which is fine.” —Nico Rosberg, former F1 driver
Following Rosberg’s departure from the sport, Hamilton continued racing with Mercedes before eventually moving to Ferrari in 2025. The Lewis Hamilton Mercedes rivalry remains one of the defining chapters in recent Formula 1 history, highlighting the fine line between fierce competition and personal dynamics within a championship-winning team.
