German F1 driver NICO ROSBERG "will stay at Mercedes past '15," according to the SID. The current world championship leader "extended his contract with the team ahead of this weekend's German Grand Prix." The team said in a statement, "The Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team is delighted to announce that it signed a multi-year extension with Nico Rosberg on 14 July 2014." German newspaper Bild reported that Rosberg "signed an extension until '17." He will receive an estimated €55M ($74M) for next three seasons (SID, 7/16). The BBC wrote that the former Williams driver "joined Mercedes in 2010 and has taken six victories, 17 podiums and eight pole positions with the Silver Arrows."
He has won three times in '14 and leads the championship by four points. Mercedes-Benz Motorsport Head TOTO WOLFF described Rosberg "as one of the best drivers in F1."
He added, "His speed, commitment and focus have all helped to give clear direction and to drive the team forward."
Rosberg, who made his F1 debut with Williams in '06, said, "We have an awesome team and I am confident that we have the right people in place at every level. I'm looking forward to the next years together, when we will keep pushing to win even more races and, hopefully, championships" (BBC, 7/16).
