Rosberg's fascinating reasons why he won't replace Hamilton

Nico Rosberg has ruled himself out of the race to replace former Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton, who he defeated in 2016 to become World Champion.

The ex-F1 driver famously retired from F1 just a matter of days after clinching his world title, after giving his all to defeat the seven-time World Champion.

With Hamilton incredibly leaving Mercedes to join Ferrari at the end of this year, Rosberg is one of many drivers whose name has been linked to the 103-time race winner's seat.

It's been pondered whether Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff will sign a short-term replacement for 2025 to partner George Russell, so that junior prodigee Andrea Kimi Antonelli doesn't have to be thrown into the deep end too quickly.

After clinching the FRECA title last year, Antonelli is making a big step up into F2 with Prema Racing in 2024. The young Italian is viewed as a future World Champion and was recently described as the quickest driver in an F3 car since Max Verstappen.

Mercedes appear to have a real star in their academy but Wolff has stressed that he doesn't want to rush the 17-year-old's progression. By signing a short-term replacement, like an older driver, this would give Antonelli time to perhaps complete a season in F1 at a lower side or even a second campaign in F2.

Four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel, two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso and Rosberg have all been linked with Hamilton's seat, although the latter has firmly ruled himself out of not only replacing the Briton but in a return to F1 altogether.

'I just couldn't do it'

"That's over, I'm not planning a comeback," Rosberg told German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung.

Since retiring from F1, the 38-year-old has developed a "great respect for the danger" in the pinnacle of motorsport, with him also being physically unable now to make a comeback even if he wanted to.

“I couldn't just do that either," Rosberg admitted. "I would have to prepare intensively for a whole year, if only to train the synapses (neuron connectors) in my brain.

“A racing driver has to react super-fast at top speed and be precise. I've lost that after the long break. The muscles are also put under so much strain, just to hold the steering wheel with all the centrifugal forces.”