Kazuki Nakajima Partnered with Rosberg for Williams F1 Team
azuki Nakajima will partner Nico Rosberg for the Williams Formula One team next year.
The 22-year-old Japanese driver steps up from being the team's test and reserve driver after making his debut with a 10th-place finish at last month's season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix.
Rosberg, 22, has been with Williams for two years and the team had already said it wanted to retain the German driver, who was one of three drivers world championship runner-up Lewis Hamilton has suggested could join him at McLaren.
``Nico will be ably partnered by Kazuki, who has impressed the team over the past year,'' team chief Frank Williams said Wednesday. ``He has the pace and the right aptitude to develop over the course of the next season.''
Rosberg finished ninth in this year's drivers' championship _ an improvement of eight places on his debut season _ racing alongside Alexander Wurz. Wurz retired from racing two weeks before the Brazilian GP.
Nakajima, 2007 rookie of the year in the GP2 series for the DAMS team, took Wurz's place after representing the team throughout the season at the Friday practice sessions ahead of each race.
With Rosberg staying at Williams, Renault driver Heikki Kovalainen and Spyker's Adrian Sutil are among other potential candidates available to McLaren.
Wed November 7, 2007 05:58 EST
OXFORD, England (AP)
Japanese driver Kazuki Nakajima replaced the retired Alex Wurz for Williams in the Formula One season finale in Sao Paulo, Brazil on Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2007, a day after Wurz retired with immediate effect.
(AP Photo/Kyodo News)
azuki Nakajima will partner Nico Rosberg for the Williams Formula One team next year.
