Finland’s Nico Rosberg, the 17-year-old son of 1982 world champion Keke Rosberg, has become the youngest driver ever to take part in a F1 test session.
Finland’s Nico Rosberg, the 17-year-old son of 1982 world champion Keke Rosberg, has become the youngest driver ever to take part in a F1 test session.
Nico completed 38 laps in a Williams-BMW FW24 in Barcelona on Tuesday to claim a personal best time of 1:21,070 on lap 29 and finished eighth fastest overall – despite a spin.
“It was sensational. Now I don’t want to drive anything else,” Rosberg beamed. “The first laps were like a game with a playstation – everything went so fast and seemed so unreal”.
Nico’s father, who won the world title driving for Williams, was at trackside with friends to witness his son making history on his Formula One testing debut.
“My father advised me not to attempt too much and just enjoy the whole experience. I think I managed to do that quite well,” said the young Rosberg, who was born on 27 June 1985.
The youngest driver to race in Formula One was Mike Thackwell of New Zealand, who was 19 years and five months old when he raced in Canada in 1980, reported.
Tuesdays’ times from Barcelona:
1. Mark Webber – Jaguar – 1:18,192 – 67 laps
2. Juan Pablo Montoya – Williams BMW – 1:18,206 – 57 laps
3. Alex Wurz – McLaren Mercedes – 1:18,757 – 31 laps
4. Olivier Panis – Toyota – 1:18,934 – 80 laps
5. Marc Gene – Williams BMW – 1:19,429 – 32 laps
6. Fernando Alonso – Renault – 1:19,572 – 86 laps
7. Anthony Davidson – BAR Honda – 1:20,363 – 96 laps
8. Nico Rosberg – Williams BMW – 1:21,069 – 37 laps
9. Gary Paffett – McLaren Mercedes – 1:21,472 – 13 laps
10. Dirk Muller – Williams BMW – 1:21,605 – 45 laps
11. Romain Dumas – Renault – 1:22,375 – 48 laps
12. Antonio Pizzonia – Jaguar – No time – 3 laps