Formula 1: What's going on?

Ex-world champion wallows in the mud

Created: 12/20/2021, 10:54 AM

By: Patrick Freiwah

Final of Extreme E 2021: Ex-Formula 1 world champion Nico Rosberg covered with mud.

© Charly Lopez / Imago

This is how you can of course celebrate a victory: The former Formula 1 world champion Nico Rosberg wins the newly created Extreme E racing series - and then digs into the mud.

Dorset - One week after the lost Formula 1 World Cup showdown, Lewis Hamilton slipped the next title out of his hands.

The seven-time F1 world champion just missed winning the title in the inaugural season of the Extreme E electric SUV racing series.

Instead, the team of his long-time companion Nico Rosberg got the upper hand after the final run in Dorset, UK, but made it exciting again in the decisive, fifth World Championship run in the south of England.

Extreme E: Rosberg team wins first season despite being equal on points

Rosberg's driver duo Molly Taylor (Australia) and Johan Kristofferson (Sweden) struggled and only ended up in fourth place.

However, this was exactly what was necessary to achieve the overall victory after three of the first four events of the newly created racing series could be won.

The formation of ex-Formula 1 world champion Hamilton, consisting of rally icon Sébastien Loeb and Cristina Gutierrez, triumphed at the event in Dorset.

The duo won with a sovereign performance in qualifying and the race, but gave the well-known team boss at least the first victory overall.

It was even almost enough to win the title: In the end, the Extreme E teams from Rosberg (RXR) and Hamilton (X44) are tied: The number of overall victories ultimately tipped the balance in favor of Rosberg X Racing, whose team boss was with Hamilton between 2013 and started in F1 for Mercedes in 2016.

The title of the inaugural season was first celebrated with winning photos and champagne, but then things got down to business at the Bovington Training Area: There was a wild mud fight, which Rosberg then posted on Instagram:

Nico Rosberg and Co. win the premiere season - the team boss practices mud wrestling

The 36-year-old wallows in the mud with his driver team, and the three of them are clearly enjoying it.

Rosberg says it was an enormous challenge for him and Taylor to bring down the "two-meter giant" Kristofferson.

Ultimately, however, it seems that Rosberg himself got the most of the mud:

The second edition of the Extreme E Championship will start in February 2022, and according to current plans, five World Championship races will also be on the program.

According to reports, the start will be the same as in the past season in Saudi Arabia.