Nico Rosberg's father shares concerning health update

Former F1 world champion Nico Rosberg's father, Keke Rosberg, is dealing with several health issues. The 76-year-old stated that he is suffering from the long-term effects of Covid-19 and weakening eyesight.

Keke Rosberg is a popular former F1 driver who raced from 1978 to 1986. In a career-defining move, he joined Williams in 1982 and won a championship that season. After his McLaren stint in 1986, Keke called it quits on his professional racing career.

However, his son, Nico Rosberg, carried his legacy forward. He joined Mercedes in 2010, and after winning his maiden title in 2016, he also abruptly retired from the sport.

Meanwhile, Keke Rosberg, 76, is suffering from several health issues. In his latest interview with Finnish publication APU, Keke revealed that he is dealing with long Covid, a condition where people experience persistent symptoms weeks or months after recovering from the initial Covid-19 infection.

Not only that, with age, Keke's eyesight is also deteriorating. With isolation and aging, he no longer has the energy to complete tasks he once hoped to.

"The understanding of long Covid is still largely unknown. There are a great many people who are suffering severely from it. For me, too, it's a secondary condition—one that has been exacerbated by the isolation. I have hardly any energy left. I used to have a list of things that still needed to be done. I still have a list—but with things I won't be able to do anymore," Keke said (via RacingNews 365).

Nico, meanwhile, embraced an alternative career in broadcasting after retiring from F1. He is currently working with the Sky Sports panel as an F1 analyst.

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Nico Rosberg hid his retirement decision from his father Keke

Nico Rosberg at F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi - Source: Getty

In a shocking twist, Nico Rosberg retired from F1 days after winning his maiden championship title with Mercedes in 2016. The abrupt decision not only shook the fans but also his dad, Keke Rosberg, who was apparently not informed prior by his son.

Talking to APU, Keke said (via Planet F1):

“He didn’t say anything. Nico sent a text to his mother and said to tell his father later. It felt like a big fist to the diaphragm. Nico knew that if he started discussing it with me, then of course his father’s opinion might be quite weighty, which he didn’t want to listen to. That decision was difficult enough anyway."

Regardless of how things panned out, Keke deemed Nico's title victory as the biggest highlight of his life. The father-son duo made it big in F1 by winning a title each, but Nico Rosberg's career came to an abrupt end despite him being a part of a dominant team like Mercedes, where he actively challenged a fierce teammate, Lewis Hamilton.