F1 Champion Nico Rosberg Opens Up on €100m Fortune and Costly Flyiny… Read more’
Since retiring from Formula 1 at the height of his career in 2016, Nico Rosberg has built a considerable fortune worth €100 million, showcasing his sharp transition from world champion driver to savvy investor. The German driver, who famously clinched his only world title with Mercedes before immediately stepping away from the sport, has since thrown himself into the world of business and entrepreneurship with remarkable success — but not without encountering a few bumps along the road.
Rosberg now manages a diverse portfolio, holding stakes in around 40 companies and leading his own investment fund, Rosberg Ventures, which manages €100 million in assets. In a recent interview with German media outlet Bild, the 39-year-old offered insights into his life after racing and how he has applied the instincts honed on the racetrack to the boardroom.
He explained that there are surprising similarities between elite athletes and successful entrepreneurs. “Good founders are like racing drivers,” Rosberg noted. “They make quick, bold decisions. I love working with them, understanding their visions, and helping them grow. It’s exciting to see great founders collaborate with the best venture capital firms — that’s when truly transformative things happen.”
While Rosberg has enjoyed considerable success in his post-F1 ventures, he was quick to admit that the journey has not been entirely smooth. Among the personal and financial lessons he has learned, he pointed to some decisions that he now views with a sense of regret — particularly when it comes to managing finances within his own household.
The former F1 star revealed that he’s still figuring out how to best instill financial responsibility in his young daughters, whom he shares with his wife, Vivian. The couple has two girls, born in 2015 and 2017, making them just nine and seven years old. While Rosberg acknowledged that he currently gives them pocket money, he is starting to reflect on how best to teach them about earning and managing money.
“I’m not yet as good at this as I want to be,” Rosberg confessed. “They get pocket money, but I want them to learn the value of money by working on their own little projects. That’s now something I’m actively working on.”
Though his self-criticism as a father may be a little harsh — especially considering the age of his children — it’s clear that Rosberg holds himself to high standards in every aspect of life, including parenting and finance.
More significantly, Rosberg also opened up about what he considers his biggest financial misstep since stepping away from the racetrack — an investment in a highly ambitious German flying taxi company called Lilium. The startup had pitched itself as a trailblazer in sustainable, airborne urban mobility, aiming to revolutionize transportation with electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
Rosberg was one of several high-profile investors who believed in Lilium’s bold vision. However, the venture ran into major roadblocks — namely, the limitations of current battery technology, which hindered the viability of the air taxis. The concept, while innovative and compelling, simply wasn’t ready for real-world application.
“I made my first losses with Lilium,” Rosberg revealed candidly. “It was an air taxi startup from Germany — a great idea, but the battery technology just wasn’t ready yet.”
His investment in Lilium ultimately proved to be a disappointment. In February 2025, the company filed for insolvency for the second time, marking a definitive low point for Rosberg in his business journey. “That was tough,” he said. “Lilium was initially a symbol of hope — a vision for sustainable urban mobility, developed right here in Germany. So to see it fail was bitter.”
Despite the setback, Rosberg continues to embrace his role as a sustainability-driven investor. He has spoken often of his desire to fund environmentally-conscious innovations and promote green technologies, and Lilium seemed to align perfectly with those values — even if the execution fell short.
Rosberg’s story offers a fascinating glimpse into the highs and lows of life after Formula 1. He may no longer be pushing the limits on the racetrack, but he’s clearly still chasing ambitious goals — whether in venture capital, parenting, or environmental advocacy. His financial journey serves as a testament to the fact that success, even after championship glory, requires both boldness and the ability to learn from failure.
