Formula 1 will need to make the switch to electric power at some point in the relatively near future according to 2016 F1 World Champion Nico Rosberg.
Rosberg, who quit the sport immediately after clinching his first title, has turned his focus to the automobile sector, particularly electric cars and is an investor in the all-electric racing series Formula E.
The former Mercedes driver doesn't believe it make sense for F1 to continue using petrol engines when electric power is now capable of matching the performance of an F1 car and believes it will grow on motorsport fans as it continues to evolve and develop.
"When I was a Formula 1 driver I was completely focused just on what I was doing and then when it stopped it was all gone and I had to look at the world and say, ‘what’s out there?’," he said during a visit to the World Economic Forum in Davos.
"I’m bringing this fast lane approach to the slow lane and I really believe that’s a strength because F1 is so hyper fast-paced, even decision making. There’s so much talk, talk talk [in electric automobiles] but little action sometimes. This is something I learned in F1 and I can really transfer this over and it could be really beneficial.
"If the whole world is selling electric cars, or hydrogen-powered cars, Formula 1 can’t still be running on petrol engines, that wouldn’t make sense. At some point they will have to switch I believe.
"Two years ago, everybody was like: ‘Nah, nah, electric cars’, and now even some of the craziest petrolheads are already starting to be open-minded about it and it’s starting to become cool very quickly."
Asked about whether he misses the thrill of F1 and if he hung up his racing gloves too soon, Rosberg replied: "I still have a lot of progress to make in my new life to get away from those questions.
"But no, I don't miss it. Going out on the top like that for me personally is just so damn awesome. It is just going to carry me further, maybe for even for the rest of my life."
