Rosberg wins 'Breakthrough of the year' Laureus award

Nico Rosberg recieved the 'World Breakthrough of the Year'  award at the Laureus Awards in Monaco on Tuesday. Rosberg was up against Olympics Almaz Ayana and Wayde van Niekerk, 2015/16 Premier League champions Leicester City, the Icelandic football team, and Fiji's Rugby Sevens squad.

Other Formula 1 drivers that have won the award include Juan Pablo Montoya, Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button and Daniel Ricciardo. Rosberg said it has always been a dream of his to win a Laureus award.

"I grew up 40 metres from here in the building just next door," Rosberg said in his acceptance speech. "I was 14 years old and standing on the balcony with the TV on, watching the awards, seeing Nelson Mandela on the TV [standing] on stage. Ever since then it has been my dream to stand up here one day, it's unbelievable that tonight it's actually happened, I'm thankful to everybody who has been part of my success."

Rosberg won his first world championship in 2016 after ten years of competing in F1, and decided to retire days after claiming his victory. His championship winning team Mercedes were nominated for 'Team of the year' but lost out to the Chicago Cubs, who ended its 108-year gap to win Baseball's World Series.