Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton have known each other since childhood – now the German has told a “completely crazy” story about his former teammate
Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton have known each other since childhood, not just since their time together at Mercedes. “We were best friends back then and always went on vacation together,” Rosberg recalls to Sky Sports F1. “He was always at my parents’ house.”
The two young talents did a lot together, and there almost always had to be an engine involved: “Lewis was really crazy, completely crazy,” laughs the 2016 world champion, who suddenly reminisces about his childhood: “I remember once we went jet skiing together.”
“I was sitting behind him on the same jet ski. I took off so hard, I flew off with full force,” Rosberg smiles. “After that, we rode two separate stand-up jet skis. I saw him jump off a huge wave caused by a ferry.”
Lewis Hamilton hits his chin and bleeds
“He didn’t even take his foot off the gas. I’ve never seen anyone fly so high in the air.” But the risky stunt had consequences: “He came back down with full force and hit his chin when he landed on the jet ski,” said Rosberg.
Hamilton was “half unconscious,” said the former Formula 1 driver, who now works as a TV expert in the premier class. “I had to go and see if he was okay. His chin was slashed open. Completely crazy…”
Rosberg and Hamilton not only experienced turbulent times in their youth, but also as teammates at Mercedes, where things sometimes got heated. However, their close friendship was increasingly strained by their sporting rivalry, which even led to a collision in Spain.
It was only after Rosberg retired from Formula 1, immediately after winning the title in 2016, that the relationship gradually relaxed again. And today? “We live in the same house, so we see each other from time to time,” Rosberg reveals. “We now have a very pleasant, mutual relationship.”
