Our new Grand Prix Drivers Club member Nico Rosberg added yet another trophy to his collection last week at the Laureus World Sports Awards held in Monaco.
What makes this award special is that its an award given out to any sportsman in any discipline. His award came when he won the Breakthrough of the Year Award ahead of athletes Almaz Ayana and Wayde van Niekerk who were both World record holders. He won the award after beating off his team rival Lewis Hamilton to become 2016 World Champion.
Nico received his award from former double World Champion Emerson Fittipaldi by way of a video message posted on Twitter. He told the audience that it was a very special award for him as it is “….. sports Oscar, the biggest thing you can win in sports”
Four other Formula 1 drivers have won a Laureus award starting with Juan Pablo Montoya in 2002, Lewis Hamilton (2008), Jenson Button (2010) and Daniel Ricciardo (2015). In addition, last year Niki Lauda received a Laureus Lifetime Achievement award.
Amongst the other Laureus award winners this year were Usain Bolt and the Chicago Cubs who took the Team Award for which Mercedes Grand Prix had been nominated.