Nico Rosberg ‘forever grateful’ to Max Verstappen for this

Nico Rosberg has revealed that the most extreme moment of his entire Formula 1 career came not from battling Lewis Hamilton, but from overtaking Max Verstappen in the 2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Speaking on the ‘Beyond The Grid’ podcast nearly a decade after clinching his only world championship, the German driver said he will be forever grateful to Verstappen for the way that moment played out.

Rosberg entered the final race of the 2016 season knowing he needed only a top-three finish to secure the title over his Mercedes teammate Hamilton.

Hamilton, aware of the math, slowed the field down in an attempt to push Rosberg into the clutches of chasing rivals.

Rosberg had pitted early for fresh tires, which left him behind Verstappen’s Red Bull with Kimi Räikkönen and Sebastian Vettel closing fast from behind.

His race engineer Tony Ross delivered the news over the radio: the title was on the line, and Rosberg had to overtake Verstappen within the next two laps.

“What? You don’t just overtake Max Verstappen like that,” Rosberg recalled on the podcast.

Despite the shock, Rosberg found a way past the Dutch driver and crossed the finish line in second place behind Hamilton and ahead of Vettel, securing the championship.

Almost ten years later, Rosberg still remembers how Verstappen handled the decisive overtaking maneuver.

“It was an outstanding manoeuvre, and for that I’ll be forever grateful to Max Verstappen, because he was fair and gave me enough space,” Rosberg said.

“Truly grateful forever – thank you very much.”

The 2016 champion also described the physical aftermath of the pass.

“Once it was over, my foot on the accelerator started shaking so badly – from the fear and all the adrenaline, it was uncontrollable,” Rosberg said.

“I’ve never had that experience again. I’d never had it before either. My foot was uncontrollable because of all the adrenaline.”

The 2016 season was one of the most bitter internal battles in F1 history, with Rosberg and Hamilton as Mercedes teammates fighting for the title.

Their relationship soured over the course of the campaign, with on-track incidents and radio exchanges adding to the tension.

Rosberg’s championship win in Abu Dhabi was followed by his immediate retirement from the sport, a decision that shocked the paddock at the time.

Verstappen, then driving for Red Bull at age 19, was already establishing a reputation as a hard but fair racer.

That reputation has only grown over the years, with Verstappen now a four-time world champion after winning titles in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.

The 2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix remains one of the most discussed finales in F1 history, partly because of Hamilton’s deliberate slowing tactic and partly because of the overtake that decided the championship.

Rosberg’s latest comments add a new layer to the story, offering a firsthand account of what it felt like to be in the car during those critical laps.

The German’s gratitude toward Verstappen stands in contrast to the often tense relationship between the two drivers during their time on track together.

Verstappen has not publicly responded to Rosberg’s remarks as of this writing.

The 2016 title was Rosberg’s first and only championship, and he has not raced in F1 since.

His podcast appearance has reignited discussion about the role Verstappen played in that defining moment, with fans and analysts revisiting the footage of the overtake.

Rosberg made clear that without Verstappen’s fair approach, the outcome could have been different.

“50-50 chance of a crash,” Rosberg said in another interview, describing the risk he took in attempting the pass.

The overtake itself took place at Turn 8 of the Yas Marina Circuit, a long left-hand corner where Verstappen left just enough room on the inside.

Rosberg’s car emerged alongside the Red Bull, and the two ran wheel-to-wheel before the Mercedes pulled ahead.

Had Verstappen closed the door, a collision could have ended Rosberg’s title hopes on the spot.

Instead, Verstappen held his line and allowed the pass, a decision that Rosberg says he will never forget.