Every year as summer begins to unfold; Formula 1 enters what is known as the "Silly Season". Speculations and theories are everywhere regarding what driver is going where, whose contract is up, and who has given the best performance. This year is no exception and the Formula 1 rumor mill is already in full swing with the biggest rumor spotlighting former World Champion Nico Rosberg.
Will Nico Rosberg really return to Formula 1?
Nico Rosberg shocked the racing world when he retired at the end of last year after winning the Formula 1 World Championship.
Rosberg gave no notice or inclination during the season that he would be retiring in spite of the public feud between him and teammate Lewis Hamilton. After the announcement that Rosberg would not be returning, Team Principal Toto Wolf admitted the season had taken a toll on Rosberg, especially given the fierce battle between the teammates.
Since his retirement, Rosberg has seemed to be content. Until now, there was not so much as a whisper of him wanting to return to F1. The 31-year-old Rosberg still has plenty of time, however, and plenty of skill. It would not be the first time a driver retired and returned. After all, Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen retired and came back as did the great Michael Schumacher.
It would not be unusual or out of the ordinary for Rosberg to want to return to racing. The surprise would come in who he would be driving for.
Will Rosberg make his return to F1 in a Ferrari?
Rumors have been swirling for several weeks about the future of Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen. Raikkonen's contract will be up at the end of the season and whether he will remain a Ferrari driver has been a point of speculation since the season began.
Raikkonen has struggled some with the car and the setup. Sebastian Vettel, Raikkonen's teammate, who is still under contract is currently leading the points in the world championship. Mauricio Arrivabene, Ferrari's team principal had expressed support for Raikkonen but has yet to comment on the 2018 season.
Toto Wolf, however, has not been so quiet on the topic of Ferrari's second driver.
On several occasions, Wolf has hypothesized that Rosberg will be returning to Formula 1 driving in the red of Ferrari and challenging his former teammate, Lewis Hamilton. Regardless, it is all still speculation and the future of Ferrari's second seat will have to wait until Maranello is inclined to illuminate the rest of the world.
