Nico Rosberg, German race car driver
Nico Erik Rosberg (born 27 June 1985) is a German-Finnish former racing driver who won the 2016 Formula One World Championship driving for Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport. The only child of Finnish 1982 F1 World Champion Keke Rosberg and his German wife Sina Rosberg, he was raised primarily in the Principality of Monaco.
Rosberg began competitive go-kart racing at the age of six and achieved early success, winning regional and national French championships, before moving to European-based series and world championships. At the age of 16, he progressed to car racing, winning nine races to claim the 2002 Formula BMW ADAC Championship with VIVA Racing. He subsequently moved to the higher-tier Formula 3 Euro Series with Team Rosberg in 2003 and 2004 before winning the inaugural GP2 Series championship with ART Grand Prix in 2005.
Rosberg first drove in F1 with Williams from 2006 to 2009 and achieved two podium finishes for the team in 2008. For 2010, he moved to Mercedes, partnering fellow German and seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher. Rosberg took his first career win at the 2012 Chinese Grand Prix. He was the teammate of former karting friend and eventual seven-time World Drivers' Champion, Lewis Hamilton, from 2013 to 2016, twice finishing runner-up to his teammate before a title win in 2016.
Rosberg announced his retirement from motor racing five days after clinching the title, citing wanting to spend more time with his family and not wanting his driving ability to atrophy as the main factors behind his decision. Overall he competed in 206 Grands Prix, winning 23, securing 57 podium finishes, 30 pole positions, and amassing 1594.5 championship points. In retirement, Rosberg moved into driver management, television punditry, and became an eco-entrepreneur. He was awarded the Laureus World Sports Award for Breakthrough of the Year and was inducted into the FIA Hall of Fame in 2017.
1985Jun, 27
Nico Rosberg
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Events on 1985
- 10Jan
Daniel Ortega
Sandinista Daniel Ortega becomes president of Nicaragua and vows to continue the transformation to socialism and alliance with the Soviet Union and Cuba; American policy continues to support the Contras in their revolt against the Nicaraguan government. - 13May
Philadelphia
Police release a bomb on MOVE headquarters in Philadelphia to end a stand-off, killing six adults and five children, and destroying the homes of 250 city residents. - 25May
Tropical cyclone
Bangladesh is hit by a tropical cyclone and storm surge, which kills approximately 10,000 people. - 6Jun
Auschwitz concentration camp
The grave of "Wolfgang Gerhard" is opened in Embu, Brazil; the exhumed remains are later proven to be those of Josef Mengele, Auschwitz's "Angel of Death"; Mengele is thought to have drowned while swimming in February 1979. - 13Sep
Super Mario
Super Mario Bros. is released in Japan for the NES, which starts the Super Mario series of platforming games.