James Vowles explains what Michael Schumacher taught Nico Rosberg that helped him win F1 title

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Former Mercedes strategy director James Vowles has now shared what Michael Schumacher taught Nico Rosberg to help him win the Formula 1 world championship.

Nico Rosberg sensationally defeated teammate Lewis Hamilton in 2016 before immediately retiring from the sport.

Speaking on the High Performance Podcast, James Vowles shared that the German pair worked together when they drove for Mercedes.

Michael Schumacher will always be considered one of the greatest drivers in Formula 1 history.

He made headlines when he made his debut back in 1991 for Jordan before immediately being snapped up by Benetton.

The early 2000s were dominated by the German before he eventually called him on his F1 career in 2006.

However, Schumacher came out of retirement in 2010 to drive alongside Nico Rosberg under James Vowles and Toto Wolff at Mercedes.

The team was still in its infancy and failed to challenge at the front of the grid while he was part of Mercedes, although he did achieve one last podium in his final season in 2012.

Vowles has now shared what the seven-time champion taught Rosberg before departing the sport.

It proved invaluable when he faced his greatest challenge of defeating Hamilton eight years ago.

Vowles shares what Schumacher taught Rosberg

Speaking about the drivers he worked with at Mercedes, Vowles said: “Every human in this room is different, they’re all different to each other.

“There’s literally very few characteristics, you would have thought, this is what makes a world champion, it’s these characteristics, it’s not.

“So, if I take you through them one by one. Michael [Schumacher], he taught Nico [Rosberg] how to work really hard.

“Michael wasn’t the most skilful in the car, that was Lewis [Hamilton], but he knew how to extract every second out of himself and every millisecond out of the team.

“He was a leader that would absolutely say, I’m going this way, and the team would follow him.

“So much so, that both sides of the garage wanted him to do well. So much so that one of the biggest regrets of my career is that we didn’t get a win for Michael, that still hurts me today. He deserved a win.”

Rosberg finished above Schumacher in the standings during the veteran’s final season in F1 and continued to work with Vowles until he retired as well after winning his one and only title.

The advice offered by his fellow countryman proved invaluable and may have made all the difference in a season that was decided by the barest of margins.

Vowles is now hoping to inspire similar performances out of his Williams team.

Keeping hold of Alex Albon appears to be his greatest challenge this season as well as unearthing Logan Sargeant’s potential.