Nakajima lands drive for Williams
LONDON, England — Japan’s Kazuki Nakajima has landed the second driver place at Formula One team Williams for the 2008 season.
The 22-year-old is the son of former Formula One driver Saturo Nakajima.
He was the team’s test driver this year and made his F1 debut at the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix where he impressed with a 10th place finish.
Nakajima’s promotion to pair with number one driver Nico Rosberg of Finland ends speculation linking Spain’s Fernando Alonso with the British-based team and a move in the other direction for the highly regarded Rosberg.
Deposed world champion Alonso is without a drive for next season after leaving McLaren, with his former team of Renault now his likely destination.
Nico will be ably partnered by Kazuki, who has impressed the team over the past year, said team boss Frank Williams.
He has pace and the right aptitude to develop into a competitive Formula One racer and over the course of the next season, we will provide him with all the necessary support and assistance to hone his talents.
I am delighted to confirm that Nico will be racing for the team for his third consecutive year after demonstrating impressive and widely applauded form in 2007.
Nakajima, who was Rookie of the Year in GP2, was delighted to have been given his chance in motor sport’s elite class.
This is the crowning of a great year for me, said Nakajima, who replaces Alexander Wurz who retired at the end of the 2007 season. E-mail to a friend
