In about as awkward of a fashion as going on a second date and spitting out the name of a recent ex, the Mercedes Formula One team accidentally called its new driver “Nico” over the radio in the Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday. Come on, Mercedes. Write his name on your palms if you have to.
“Nico,” as you probably know, is the name of , Nico Rosberg, who decided to . After the unexpected announcement, the team in Rosberg’s old seat.
And two races into the 2017 season, they’re already calling this dude “Nico” on accident. Yikes. Here’s the radio transmission found by , in which the team says, “So, we still have potential for P4 here, Nico—uh, Valtteri—so just keep pushing.”
Seeing as Rosberg won nine of the 21 races in 2016, it should be obvious that a car back in sixth probably isn’t him. But hey, time heals all wounds, Mercedes. Maybe one day, Mercedes, you’ll find another Rosberg—another driver who can fight teammate Lewis Hamilton to the very end every race weekend and in an .
Just don’t call that person Nico.