Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has applauded Nico Rosberg's "brave" decision to retire from Formula 1 at the peak of his career, having just won his first and now only F1 title at the weekend.
Rosberg announced his shock decision on Friday ahead of the official championship crowning ceremony, admitting he'd fulfilled everything he set out to achieve in the sport.
Wolff thanked the 2016 champion for his "incredible contribution" to Mercedes' recent F1 success, which has seen them secure three consecutive Constructors' and Drivers' championships.
"This is a brave decision by Nico and testament to the strength of his character," said the Austrian. "He has chosen to leave at the pinnacle of his career, as World Champion, having achieved his childhood dream.
"The clarity of his judgement meant I accepted his decision straight away when he told me.
"It’s impossible to capture the essence of a person in a few short words. But Nico has a special combination of natural talent and fighting spirit that have brought him to where he is today.
"Throughout his career, people have thought he was on a golden path to success just because his father was a World Champion; in fact, I think in some ways that made the challenge greater – and meant he had to fight even harder with the weight of expectation on his shoulders.
"With Mercedes, Nico has been a relentless competitor, bouncing back from tough times in an inspirational way, and he earned the respect of the sport with his tenacity, his fighting spirit and his grace under pressure.
"Since 2010, he has poured competitive energy into our team and we have grown stronger because of it. We simply say ‘thank you’ for the incredible contribution he has made to our success, alongside two of the all-time great drivers, Michael and Lewis."
