DECEMBER 4, 2002
Rosberg is youngest F1 driver ever
"The first laps were like a game with a Playstation, everything went so fast and seemed so unreal," said Rosberg Jr. "My
father had advised me not to attempt too much and just enjoy the whole experience. I think I managed to do that quite well. Now I don't want to drive anything else."
Mike Thackwell remains the youngest driver ever to race a Formula 1 car, at the age of 19 years five months and 29 days although it is arguable that his F1 debut never took place as the race was stopped after a first lap crash and Thackwell's car was taken over for the restart by one of his Tyrrell team mates. The second youngest F1 racer was Ricardo Rodriguez who raced at the Italian GP of 1961 at the age of 19 years six months and 27 days.
Williams also ran 27-year-old German Dirk Muller, a BMW touring car driver who has represented the company with much success in recent years in the European Touring Car Championship.