Volkswagen: Nico Rosberg tests ID.R
LIKE A FISH IN THE WATER The 2016 Formula 1 World Champion did a few laps in VW Motorsport's record-breaking electric vehicle at the Nürburgring. There's no question that Nico Rosberg was impressed. Nico Rosberg in an interview before and after the wet test drive with the ID.R. For Nico Rosberg, electromobility has become a passion. Since his departure from [...]
Nico Rosberg in an interview before and after the wet test drive with the ID.R.
For Nico Rosberg, electromobility has become a passion. Since retiring from Formula 1, the German, who lives in Monaco, has been investing more in future technologies and, among other things, founded the Greentech Festival sustainability event.
Like a fish in water
He is particularly fascinated by companies with innovative solutions and sustainable concepts in the mobility sector. At the Nürburgring, he climbed into the Volkswagen ID.R for the first time in his further role as a car tester and influencer. Despite rain, wind and temperatures below 10 degrees, he took a seat in the ID.R with a smile and subsequently attested to its performance, which he had previously only known from Formula 1.
Nico Rosberg: "I haven't driven a real race car in the rain for a while, but with the ID.R I immediately felt like a fish in water again. The driving feel is fantastic. The traction, the acceleration, the downforce - it felt very familiar."
Motorsport as an important pioneer
It's no surprise that he gave VW's engineers a big thumbs-up and outed himself as an advocate of electric racing.
Nico Rosberg: "Compliments to the engineers at Volkswagen, who have done important pioneering work in the field of electromobility with the ID.R. The ID.R is the first of its kind in the world. Motorsport has the task of changing mobility as a whole. It should be the testing and development field for transporting technologies into series production. That's exactly what happened with the ID.R and the ID.3. I could even imagine purchasing an ID.3 for my family."
Benefit for the series
The electric sports prototype currently holds five best times on three continents: In addition to the track records at Pikes Peak in Colorado (USA), Goodwood Hill (UK) and Mount Tianmen in Zhangjiajie (China), it also holds the lap record for electrically powered vehicles on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife and at Bilster Berg.
The findings from the test and record-breaking drives are being incorporated into the series development of the all-electric ID. family, which has already been launched with the compact ID.3 and the ID.42 electric SUV. The aim is to launch more than 20 all-electric vehicles under the Volkswagen brand by 2025.
