Caption: IMAGO

In 2018, 32-year-old Nico Rosberg made it clear to everyone that he would never want his daughters to go down the racing path. Supported in this decision by his wife, Rosberg claimed his daughters going racing would be his biggest nightmare. Six years later, it seems that the former F1 world champion has had a change of heart. The German former driver took to LinkedIn to post a special photo of him and his daughter karting together. 

Not only did Rosberg take his daughter out for karting, but he is also growing more comfortable allowing his daughters to take risks. Continuously aspiring to advocate for equality at home, Rosberg is also in favor of encouraging them to enter the racing realm if they want. Despite having boundless aspirations for his daughters, the now 38-year-old remains conscious of the challenges they might face in a male-dominant industry. 

“I cherish this time that I spent karting with my daughter – not just for the joy it brought us both but for the deeper message it conveyed about pursuing her dreams without limitations.”

To battle with the same, Rosberg has his team ‘Rosberg X Racing,’ which fields a gender-diverse team in the Extreme E series. Moreover, Rosberg highlighted his support for the F1 Academy, which provides a platform for talented young women to hone their racing skills and “challenge the status quo.” Ending his post, Rosberg asked his fellow parents what do they resort to encourage their daughters to follow their passions and dreams.

Girl dad Nico Rosberg hoping to level the playing field

A father to two daughters, Alaia and Naila, Nico Rosberg has always been proud of both of them. Knowing the racing industry well enough, Rosberg understands the lack of equality better than most people. Given the same, Rosberg wants to do everything in his power to ensure his daughters get the same opportunities as he did when he was a young boy. “For me, it’s unthinkable that my daughters might not have the same opportunities to realize their dreams as I had as a young boy.”

Ever since his daughters were born, Rosberg wanted to champion them into becoming everything that they wanted to be and perhaps even more. The German former driver believes one should be given equal opportunities, irrespective of who they are and where they come from. Speaking to females all across the globe, Rosberg asked them to never let anyone tell them they can’t do something. Sending them a powerful message, Rosberg said, “If you have a dream, then you’ve got to do everything you can to protect it.”