Formula 1 champ Nico Rosberg test drives a Tesla Model X [Video]

A Formula 1 racing champion, with gasoline flowing through his veins, happens to be excited about a tech revolution unfolding in the automotive space. Last year, InsideEVs reported that Nico Rosberg, Formula 1's 2016 champion, made a pilgrimage to Silicon Valley. During his visit, "Tesla was his first stop... [in addition] continuing on the electric vehicle theme, he popped into ChargePoint’s headquarters."

Above: Rosberg visited Tesla's factory last year (Twitter: Nico Rosberg)

Later, he also visited Google, "the last EV-type stop [which] didn’t involve driving... as Waymo is all about autonomous vehicles. He did, though, go for a ride, and expressed hope the technology would 'save millions of lives in the future.'" Fast forward to the present — Gizmodo reports that "Rosberg himself has already been bitten by the autonomous bug, having [also] recently driven the Tesla Model X." 

In an interview with the former Formula 1 champ, Gizmodo gets Rosberg's feedback on Tesla's Autopilot: "That’s really been my first experience of self-driving cars going from A to B on the motorway. It was phenomenal, I really loved it. Yes, there are times when I want to drive. But, there are also times where I just don’t want to drive and would prefer to relax." 

Above: Rosberg says, "The technology and special features in this car are out of this world" (Youtube: Nico Rosberg)

Rosberg continues, "There’s a sustainability revolution going on and... everybody is just becoming more aware of the need to change things. I’m also fascinated by how much impact the field of mobility can have in this. With e-mobility and then autonomous cars things are going to be incredible. It’s going to change the world.”

The Formula 1 champ adds, "I’m really looking forward to all that stuff. I’m really into the tech scene… impact technologies mainly. I’m an investor in and promoter of Formula E, SpaceX, Lyft… so I’m really in that space as an investor right now. It’s a fascinating time."

Above: Nico Rosberg enjoying his Model X test drive (Twitter: Nico Rosberg)

But it wasn't just Tesla's self-driving features that impressed Rosberg. Drivemag reports, "When your name is Nico Rosberg and you used to drive Formula 1 race cars for a living and one of your daily drivers is a pristine Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, it takes something really good to impress you, car-wise. Enter the Tesla Model X... Rosberg takes the Tesla Model X for a spin and he can't seem to wipe that smile off his face." 

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Source: InsideEVs, Gizmodo, Drivemag, Nico Rosberg