F1 champion Nico Rosberg admits 'I was living the dream and convinced I would be fired'

Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg, Silverstone, 2016, generic — Photo: © IMAGO

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F1 champion admits 'I was living the dream and convinced I would be fired'

Nico Rosberg feared he was going to be sacked by the Williams team

Dan Ripley Global Editor

Professional F1 journalist and analyst

Saturday 9 May 2026 10:29 Updated: 11:01

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Nico Rosberg has opened up on how he feared he was going to get sacked in his debut season in Formula 1.

Rosberg arrived in F1 in 2006 at the Williams team fresh off the back of winning the GP2 (now F2) championship a year earlier.

The German made a sensational start too, claiming seventh place on his debut race at the Bahrain Grand Prix and at the time the youngest ever fastest lap at the age of just 20. A record that has since been beaten by Max Verstappen and Kimi Antonelli.

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But Rosberg from then on struggled, only finishing in the points once more during the season at the chaotic rain hit Nurburgring for the European Grand Prix.

Up against experienced but not so forgiving team-mate Mark Webber, Rosberg struggled to settle at the team raising internal doubts over whether he was cut out for the pinnacle of motorsport that had seen his father Keke become world champion in 1982.

Rosberg at Williams breaking point

Rosberg said on LinkedIn: "In my first year in Formula 1, I was convinced I was going to get fired, and I was really struggling mentally!

"We had a bad car that was breaking down, and we were finishing well out of points.

"There was massive pressure, and the fear was real that I wouldn’t get a second season.

"I was right where I’d wanted to be my whole life. Everything had been leading to this, but suddenly my dream felt more fragile than ever!"

Despite Rosberg's fears, he earned a second season at Williams and following the exit of Webber became team leader before he moved to Mercedes in 2010.

In the process of seeing off the challenge from the returning Michael Schumacher as team-mate, Rosberg one his first race at the 2012 Chinese Grand Prix.

In 2014, Rosberg was paired with Lewis Hamilton, losing out in two championship battles before finally seeing off his fierce rival in 2016.

After his incredible championship win that defeated Hamilton at his peak, Rosberg shocked the sporting world after announcing his immediate retirement from the sport.

F1 Williams Nico Rosberg