Flavio Briatore, generic — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 star reveals 'terrifying' bedroom meeting with team boss

Ex-F1 star Nico Rosberg has revealed un unusual meeting with Flavio Briatore

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Monday 2 June 2025 12:58 Updated: 13:39

2016 Formula 1 champion Nico Rosberg has revealed a bizarre bedroom meeting with a team boss that 'terrified' him during the early stages of his career.

The German driver competed in the sport between 2006 and 2016, ending his decade of competition with an iconic championship victory, famously beating F1 legend and team-mate at the time, Lewis Hamilton.

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The former Mercedes star followed a similar trajectory to many Mercedes drivers, starting his career with Williams.

Rosberg raced for the Grove-based outfit between 2006 and 2009, earning two podium finishes for the team, both of which occurred in 2008. Ahead of the 2010 season, he moved to Mercedes where he partnered two seven-time champions, first Michael Schumacher and then Hamilton.

Despite his success with the Silver Arrows, Rosberg revealed in Barcelona that he attempted to execute a bold driver move himself earlier on in his career.

F1 champion Rosberg reveals tense team boss interaction

Speaking ahead of FP1 at the Spanish GP on Friday, Rosberg said: "I was scared of Flavio Briatore as a young driver. I once went into his bedroom to negotiate a contract," said Rosberg, detailing his experience with the controversial F1 figure.

"I was absolutely terrified. He is fierce. He has a Helmut Marko style approach."

After being prodded by Sky Sports F1 analyst Anthony Davidson over what he said to him in the bedroom, Rosberg replied: "He said ‘They [unanmed F1 team] are paying you too much money we can't match that’. [I replied] 'It's about the money that I would consider driving for you'."

The 2016 drivers' champion returned as part of Sky Sports F1 broadcast lineup last weekend in Barcelona ahead of the ninth round of the 2025 campaign, where he discussed his own stellar career with the commentary team as well as interviewing former colleague-turned-Williams team principal James Vowles.

The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya marked the final race of F1's European triple-header where reigning champion Max Verstappen and his Red Bull team lost out monumentally after a moment of madness landed the Dutchman with a 10-second penalty on Sunday.

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Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton Mercedes Williams Michael Schumacher Nico Rosberg