Extreme E racing starts this weekend, as Nico Rosberg gets used to being the boss

Nico Rosberg is applying many years of Formula 1 working experience to a new part as staff operator in the Severe E electrical off-highway series that begins up in the Saudi Arabian desert this weekend.

The 2016 earth champion informed reporters throughout Friday’s shakedown in Al Ula that he was wary of trying to micro-manage and his tactic would be much more Mercedes, the staff with whom he won his title, than previous-fashion Williams.

He recalled how throughout qualifying for a single race, Williams co-founder Patrick Head approached him and pulled open the visor of his helmet.

“Nico, if you continue on driving like that you’re going to place us out of business,” Rosberg quoted the famously blunt Briton as expressing.

“So I’m not taking any classes from there, but someone like (Mercedes F1 staff manager and co-operator) Toto Wolff,” added the 35-12 months-previous German. “It is just that empathy… the empowering and the belief.”

The Rosberg X Racing staff of Sweden’s triple earth rallycross champion Johan Kristoffersson and Australian rally driver Molly Taylor is a single of nine competing, every single with a male and a female driver.

Two of the other groups are owned by F1 champions — Rosberg’s previous teammate Lewis Hamilton with X44 and Jenson Button’s JBXE, with the latter also driving.

Rosberg explained he would exam the ODYSSEY 21 SUV at some stage but, acquiring viewed the 18km Saudi training course with its daunting fall, was delighted not to be driving.

“What I enjoy so much is how Johan and Molly work alongside one another as nicely, so entire of respect and staff collaboration,” he added.

“My teammate (in F1) was my largest enemy in the earth so that staff collaboration was like the opposite, how do I make him slower? Here it’s how do we assist every single other to turn out to be quicker and master from every single other, and that’s so amazing to see.”

9-situations earth rally champion Sebastian Loeb, who is driving for Hamilton’s staff, explained his car was working nicely on the shakedown.

“No key problems. It is rather tough. It is pretty rapidly,” explained the Frenchman.

Severe E aims to boost sustainability by racing in distant pieces of the earth influenced by local weather improve. Founder Alejandro Agag has termed it “the largest experiment at any time viewed in motorsport.”

The series transports cars and machines on board the previous British mail ship St Helena, which also serves as a floating analysis laboratory for a staff of scientific specialists.

“For me it’s the great match, my enthusiasm for racing and enthusiasm for sustainability merged in this a single task,” commented Rosberg.

“What we want to do is raise consciousness for the problems that the Earth is dealing with and clearly show that we care. So we are being on the boat and we also have some of the top earth scientists with us.

“We’re acquiring panels and discussions and actually finding out anything. That is at the heart of this championship, and that’s what I actually enjoy a ton.”

Saturday sees four qualifying time trial sessions prior to semi-finals and last on Sunday.