Nico Rosberg shares hilarious ‘Vowles’ Mercedes story as surname-only basis explained

Nico Rosberg and James Vowles embrace.

Nico Rosberg recalled how he and former Mercedes strategy chief James Vowles ended up referring to each other by surname only.

Rosberg was there at the start for Mercedes upon their return to the Formula 1 grid in 2010, partnering German icon and seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher for the following three seasons, ahead of Lewis Hamilton’s arrival and the Mercedes dominance era, which yielded eight consecutive Constructors’ titles and seven Drivers’ crowns from 2014-21.

Nico Rosberg: ‘From then on, he was called ‘Vowles’ for me’

Rosberg raced with Mercedes from 2010-16, retiring off the back of winning the 2016 World Championship, but one accolade he could never achieve was getting Vowles – the former Mercedes strategy chief and now Williams team principal – to call him by his first name.

While on Sky F1 commentary duties, Rosberg began: “I have a lot of respect for James. He was our strategist at the time. Had a big role at Mercedes in all the years.”

At that point, former F1 racer and Mercedes simulator driver Anthony Davidson interrupted with: “You’re calling him James now are you? Not just Vowles?”

“That shows how a long time that is ago. His names is Vowles,” Rosberg replied.

“Because he always just used to refer to you as ‘Rosberg’ didn’t he in all of the meetings,” Davidson responded with.

At that point, Rosberg would explain the meaning behind this conversation that had started between he and Davidson, stating that throughout his time at Mercedes, Vowles would never refer to him by his first name, only surname.

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With this being the case even when Rosberg was in the room, it became something of a running joke between the duo that they only used each other’s surnames.

“Yes. When I first arrived at the team, it was always ‘Rosberg’. I was sitting at the table… ‘Rosberg’,” he explained.

“But I’m like, ‘Actually, you know, I’m Nico’… ‘Rosberg’.

“So from then on, he was called ‘Vowles’ for me. So we would say: ‘Hey Vowles’. Throughout all the years, he was ‘Vowles’.”

Vowles would leave Mercedes to take up the Williams team principal role ahead of the 2023 season, with the team now preparing to welcome Carlos Sainz to their driver line-up for F1 2025, the Spaniard penning a multi-year deal as he prepares to depart Ferrari.

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