From boyhood friends to F1 rivals, Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton’s decade-long friendship ended in 2016 as the Mercedes teammates battled for the World title.
And today, Rosberg has revealed, they aren’t even neighbours anymore.
Nico Rosberg: I’m really sad…
Coming through the karting ranks today, Rosberg and Hamilton were first teammates in 2000 with their competitive natures always in play, as revealed by Robert Kubica: “They would even have races to eat pizza, always eating two at a time.”
They bumped heads in the junior ranks, racing against one another in Formula 3 Euro Series and the Macau Grand Prix with Rosberg progressing to the GP2 Series in 2005 and Hamilton a year later.
But throughout it all their friendship prevailed.
“We were always on holiday together because we were best friends at the time,” Rosberg explained to Sky Sports F1.
The German made his Formula 1 debut a year later, 2006, with Hamilton joining the series a year later racing for McLaren.
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The friendship continued with two reunited at Mercedes in 2013 when Hamilton swapped from McLaren, replacing seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher at the Brackley squad.
While there were moments of tension in their first two years together, it came to a head in 2016 as they went wheel-to-wheel for the F1 World title, Hamilton seeking his fourth and Rosberg his first.
Such was the fallout, the two stopped speaking. “It [the friendship breakdown] happened immediately when we were fighting for the world championship,” Rosberg told Eurosport.
“But that’s always the case: When you’re fighting for success in every race and for titles, it doesn’t work anymore.”
However, next door neighbours in Monaco, Hamilton continued to send Christmas presents to Rosberg for his daughters. He, though, wasn’t allowed to step over the threshold.
“He has to stay outside the door,” the German joked. “But he’s welcome to leave the presents.”
Rosberg, though, gave questions about their relationship short shrift earlier this year when he was asked if he “missed” Hamilton.
He replied: “We still live in the same building, yes. We have a very nice… neutral relationship. Moving on!”
But three months on, Rosberg and Hamilton are no longer neighbours.
Joking about where David Croft on a recent Sky F1 Show about where he lived, the “fifth house after Sainsbury”, the 2016 World Champion revealed that he has moved apartments.
“I’m not actually involved with the boxes. But yes, we moved apartment,” he said.
“I’m really sad because I’m not neighbours with Lewis anymore, my friend Lewis Hamilton anymore.
“It’s very sad.”
Quizzed on his new next door neighbour, he said: “I don’t actually know. I don’t know. Not met them yet.”
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