Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff says the 2016 season proves Nico Rosberg retires as “the best driver in Formula 1 today”.
After finishing second to Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton in the 2014 and ’15 title fights, Rosberg became world champion for the first time last Sunday in Abu Dhabi.
However, just five days after winning the 2016 title, Rosberg stunned motorsport by announcing his immediate retirement.
While Hamilton’s unreliability during the season was a major point of discussion, Wolff said Rosberg’s final achievement proves his worth.
“The results show he won the world championship,” Wolff said.
“He is the best driver in Formula 1 today and the points show that.