Rosberg lauds Hamilton as the F1® GOAT ahead of renewed rivalry

Lewis Hamilton is the greatest Formula 1® driver of all time, according to former Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg.

Hamilton won a record 92nd grand prix in Portugal last Sunday to surpass Michael Schumacher as the driver with the most race victories in history.

The six-time world champion has won 35.1 per cent of the 262 grands prix he has entered and converted 57 pole positions.

With a 77-point lead over Valtteri Bottas at the top of the driver's standings, Hamilton appears almost certain to equal Schumacher's record haul of seven titles.

Rosberg retired in 2016 after pipping Hamilton to his only driver's championship, but the pair are set to renew rivalries in Extreme E, an off-road racing series aimed at raising awareness of the climate crisis.

The German cannot wait to lock horns with his old team-mate and adversary again.

Speaking to Stats Perform News after the launch of the Extreme E championship, Rosberg said: "I was really thrilled to hear that Lewis is joining Extreme E as well.

"In parallel, I was planning my team and suddenly I hear that he's doing one too. That was awesome, because it gives us all the more opportunity in awareness of the championship, as he has a very big following as well.

"Of course, also in the racing itself, I really look forward to racing him, now as team owners on the race tracks around the world. That's going to be very, very exciting. It's a different challenge for us also, now in a different role and I go racing to win, to beat everyone else out there."

Looking back at 2016, when he won the title by five points, Rosberg said: "At that time, I was focused on making myself the best because I wanted to beat him.

"Lewis, as we could see recently, is the greatest F1® driver of all time. To beat Lewis driving the same car is never easy, so I am very proud I could make it. It is nice to revive our rivalry in this series but on different teams."

Rosberg, who will compete for Rosberg Extreme Racing, said of the event: "Extreme E combines real racing action, fierce competition, green technologies and zero-emission mobility and all that to help preserve our environment.

"Extreme E takes racing to uncharted territories, by bringing the action to some of the most remote locations, all of which are suffering from the destruction of our environment. We have already confirmed collaborations with local and international foundations, including the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, to leave a long-lasting local impact and, hopefully, reverse the damage done by climate change.

"Coming from F1® I have learned that it is almost always possible to find solutions to problems, as long as you're willing to fight that status quo and constantly search for better results. That is what racing is about and that is what Rosberg Extreme Racing is about."