Rosberg eyes possible all-electric future in Formula E

40

Nico Rosberg says he could be tempted to take up a role in the all-electric FIA Formula E championship in the future.

"I know quite a lot [about Formula E], I have been following it. It has an amazing future, a great future," said the 2016 Formula 1 world champion.

"I’m open to exploring. Let’s see what the possibilities are. But I’m definitely interested."

But Rosberg insisted that whatever role he took up, he had no intention of returning to active competition. He shocked the world of motor racing by retiring just five days after clinching his long-sought-after world title last year.

"For me it is really done," he said when asked if he missed racing. "I’m totally fulfilled and I'm really excited about these new steps that I am doing now."

Rosberg was speaking at a sponsor event in Hong Kong ahead of the first Formula E race of the 2017/8 season.

"Formula E has hit the nail on the head," he said. "The hype is there for e-mobility and that is why there is a guaranteed great future for this.

"People are going to be watching, and this is going to be the technology of the future battling," he said. "It is going to be right here.

Bird beats penalty to win Formula E opener in Hong Kong

"Never has there been a racing series where the technology is so one-to-one," he pointed out. "It goes from the race car into the road car of the future that we are all going to be driving."

Rosberg commended the way that Formula E CEO Alejandro Agag had been working to build up the global profile of the series.

"It has an amazing future, a great future. It is on the right track and Alejandro is awesome as well, so he is going to do the right stuff."

Rosberg's old team Mercedes will move into Formula E as a manufacturer in 2019. Porsche is also planning to make the same transition.

"All the best brands in the world are here fighting each other so it is awesome," commented Rosberg.

It's not just car makers who are eyeing opportunities in the championship. Hugo Boss has also decided to make the jump from Formula 1 to Formula E as sponsors.

"They have taken the leap as the first fashion brand," said Rosberg. "They are early movers and I think it is going to pay off. It is a bit of a message they have sent out."

Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1 drivers

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

Andrew Lewin

Andrew first became a fan of Formula 1 during the time when Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill were stepping into the limelight after the era of Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Aryton Senna. He's been addicted ever since, and has been writing about the sport now for nearly a quarter of a century for a number of online news sites. He's also written professionally about GP2 (now Formula 2), GP3, IndyCar, World Rally Championship, MotoGP and NASCAR. In his other professional life, Andrew is a freelance writer, social media consultant, web developer/programmer, and digital specialist in the fields of accessibility, usability, IA, online communities and public sector procurement. He worked for many years in magazine production at Bauer Media, and for over a decade he was part of the digital media team at the UK government's communications department. Born and raised in Essex, Andrew currently lives and works in south-west London.