Rosberg’s exit a surprise move

London - World champion Nico Rosberg’s ­retirement announcement on ­Friday came as a complete surprise – even to the man who knows most of Formula One’s best-kept secrets, commercial supremo Bernie ­Ecclestone.

“It was just as big a shock to me as you,” he told Reuters by telephone after Rosberg dropped the bombshell days ­after securing his first championship in last Sunday’s Abu Dhabi season-ender.

“I had dinner with [Mercedes team boss] Toto [Wolff] last night and he obviously couldn’t say anything to me [about it].”