Nico Rosberg has joined his former Mercedes Formula 1 team-mate Lewis Hamilton as a team owner in the inaugural season of Extreme E.
The 2016 F1 World Champion revealed his Rosberg Xtreme Racing (RXR) outfit on Thursday morning, while Hamilton’s X44 team was announced last month.
Talking about his new XE venture, Rosberg said: “We are thrilled to unveil Rosberg Xtreme Racing as the latest addition to Extreme E.
“The series represents an amazing opportunity to not only drive awareness but also inspire action in the fight against climate change – the single biggest threat to our planet today.
“Since retiring from F1 I have dedicated my career to sustainable technologies so to be able to combine these endeavors with my passion for racing is incredibly fulfilling.”
RXR has already forged partnerships to make a difference in the areas XE will visit next year, starting with January’s Lac Rose race in Senegal.
Rosberg added: “XE takes racing to unchartered territories by bringing the action to some of the most remote locations, all of which are suffering from the destruction of our environments.
Rosberg Sr and Jr in their title-winning F1 cars
Photo: Mercedes-AMG F1/Wolfgang Wilhelm
“We have already confirmed collaborations with local and international foundations including the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation to leave long-lasting local impact and hopefully reverse the damage done by climate change.
“Coming from F1 I have learned it’s almost always possible to find solutions to problems as long as you’re willing to fight that status quo and constantly search for better results.”
Rosberg sees his team as an evolution to Team Rosberg, founded by his father – fellow F1 world champion Keke – in 1994.
His ambition is for his new squad to build on Team Rosberg’s title success in junior single-seaters and the DTM, and his own world championship-winning karting team Rosberg Racing Academy, which he set up in 2018.
XE founder and CEO Alejandro Agag was thrilled to announce Rosberg’s entry into his series.
“We are ecstatic to finally announce that Rosberg Xtreme Racing will be joining our line-up for the first season of XE,” said Agag.
“We have been talking about this project for many months and we are thrilled he has chosen XE for his formal return to motorsport as founder and CEO of his own racing team.
There is clearly a great synergy between Nico’s endeavors in the sustainability field and the aims of XE so his team is a hugely welcomed addition to the series.”
