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[EwanM]

Williams retains drivers for 2009 http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?id=44142
Wednesday, 01 October 2008 23:29

Nico Rosberg and Kazuki Nakajima will remain as Williams’s race drivers for the 2009 season, the team announced on Wednesday evening.


The Grove-based squad confirmed it has opted for an unchanged driver line-up for next year when the former champion team will hope to take advantage of Formula 1's new era of regulations and move back towards the front of the field.


In an official statement Williams, which also confirmed German hotshoe Nico Hulkenberg would remain as its official test driver, said continuity had been a “key consideration” in its decision.


Team owner Frank Williams said: “I am delighted we are able to maintain continuity with our drivers going into 2009.



“Nico Rosberg continues to be one of the most capable drivers in the sport.


“Kazuki is getting stronger all the time and has more to offer and Nico Hulkenberg is developing well.”


While the team's driver line-up had been expected to remain unchanged into 2009 for some time, the official confirmation means Rosberg will enter his fourth consecutive season at Williams after making his debut with it in the sport in 2006.


Nakajima was promoted to a race seat this year after making his grand prix debut in Brazil and completing testing duties for the team last term, and despite generally struggling to match Rosberg in qualifying has scored nine points in his rookie campaign.


Williams, which last won a grand prix in 2004, currently sits eighth in the constructors’ championship after a largely disappointing campaign, but still retains the realistic chance of finishing ahead of both Red Bull squads in the table after Rosberg and Nakajima finished second and eighth respectively last weekend in Singapore.


MEGA!

[Hanwombat]

Nico is one of the most capable drivers in the sport and I just hope I see more of and more of them both in the points

[Ferrarista]

I expected more from Williams this year, even if they just scored a deserved 2nd.
Still, it's incredible how they can manage to survive in this crazy F1-circus. I hope Frank Williams
can hold this for some more years!

Rosberg is certainly a good driver, but I wonder : isn't it time to make a step to a more performant team ?
Ok, Ferrari announced their line-up, Mclaren did, but he could knock on BMW's door, or Renault ...
Just a twist of mind I had...isn't he 'wasting' his time?

Nakajima is far from the worst driver we ever saw from his country, but let's stay honest ... his seat was
closed in the deal with Toyota. I would have prefered to see another youngster get his chance.

[7UpJordan]

Next year is Williams' last chance if they want to keep Rosberg, but I reckon they'll do a good job with the FW31. Nakajima has done a pretty good job this year, only his qualifying performances have been pretty dissapointing but maybe some of his troubes are down to the FW30's hopelessness on aero-heavy tracks,

[Denthúl]

Until Glock started to really pick up his game, Nakajima was easily rookie of the year. He's scored points in five races, just like his team-mate has (albeit he wasn't lucky enough to score podiums in either of the races where such opportunities arose) and has beat Rosberg in roughly as many races as Rosberg has beat him. So he's not doing so bad. To be honest, I still rate him more highly than Glock, though young Timo has more points currently. However, he's had a far superior car to Nakajima this year, so that's to be expected.

I'm really glad that Nakajima has had his contract renewed. Now all I have to wait for is the renewal of contracts for Heidfeld, Barrichello and Bourdais. They all deserve seats in F1 next year.

[Gaz]

Next year is Williams' last chance if they want to keep Rosberg, but I reckon they'll do a good job with the FW31. Nakajima has done a pretty good job this year, only his qualifying performances have been pretty dissapointing but maybe some of his troubes are down to the FW30's hopelessness on aero-heavy tracks,

Yeh my ideal 09 season will be Mclaren Vs Williams then BWM and Ferrari for 3rd or 4th

[7UpJordan]

Next year is Williams' last chance if they want to keep Rosberg, but I reckon they'll do a good job with the FW31. Nakajima has done a pretty good job this year, only his qualifying performances have been pretty dissapointing but maybe some of his troubes are down to the FW30's hopelessness on aero-heavy tracks,

Yeh my ideal 09 season will be Mclaren Vs Williams then BWM and Ferrari for 3rd or 4th

Hell yeah, bring it on! Just like the days of Mansell vs Senna.

[Denthúl]

To be honest, I'd like to see all four of those teams battling for first place. An eight-way WDC battle and four-way WCC battle would be immense!

[scotty]

Fair play, they've both done a good job given the relative lack of development on the car. I really hope next season is the one where Williams pull themselves out of the midfield, it's got to happen sooner or later!! They're either going the way of McLaren in the mid-90's, or (hopefully not) the way of Brabham and Lotus....

[McLaren Fan]

When you look at the lap times, Rosberg has been the slightly faster of the two drivers, but this was to be expected. The FW30 is not the nicest handling car around and he's only new to the sport. Nakajima has done a pretty solid job, so a race seat next season was deserved. Continuity is a big help in the development process of the car as well.

Williams went down completely the wrong path when deciding how their car uses its tyres. They've been found out and don't have the resources to change things around mid-season. Next year is pretty much a clean slate, so Williams' good technical team should come up with something half decent. As they don't have much money, however, I can see other teams overtaking them before too long.

[7UpJordan]

When you look at the lap times, Rosberg has been the slightly faster of the two drivers, but this was to be expected. The FW30 is not the nicest handling car around and he's only new to the sport. Nakajima has done a pretty solid job, so a race seat next season was deserved. Continuity is a big help in the development process of the car as well.

Williams went down completely the wrong path when deciding how their car uses its tyres. They've been found out and don't have the resources to change things around mid-season. Next year is pretty much a clean slate, so Williams' good technical team should come up with something half decent. As they don't have much money, however, I can see other teams overtaking them before too long.

The main problem has actually been a "fault" on the aerodynamics that Patrick Head discovered which makes the car understeer in longer and faster corners. If this fault wasn't there to begin with 4th in the Constructors Championship would have been a doddle, but the focus on the FW31 hasn't helped the FW30's development either.

[woody2goody]

To be honest, I'd like to see all four of those teams battling for first place. An eight-way WDC battle and four-way WCC battle would be immense!

Yeah can you imagine Hamilton v Kovalainen v Raikkonen v Massa v Heidfeld v Kubica v Rosberg and possibly Alonso. Would be a hell of a year!

[Gaz]

When you look at the lap times, Rosberg has been the slightly faster of the two drivers, but this was to be expected. The FW30 is not the nicest handling car around and he's only new to the sport. Nakajima has done a pretty solid job, so a race seat next season was deserved. Continuity is a big help in the development process of the car as well.

Williams went down completely the wrong path when deciding how their car uses its tyres. They've been found out and don't have the resources to change things around mid-season. Next year is pretty much a clean slate, so Williams' good technical team should come up with something half decent. As they don't have much money, however, I can see other teams overtaking them before too long.

The main problem has actually been a "fault" on the aerodynamics that Patrick Head discovered which makes the car understeer in longer and faster corners. If this fault wasn't there to begin with 4th in the Constructors Championship would have been a doddle, but the focus on the FW31 hasn't helped the FW30's development either.

Still better than honda with there budget and people.

[8-ball]

To be honest, I'd like to see all four of those teams battling for first place. An eight-way WDC battle and four-way WCC battle would be immense!

Yeah can you imagine Hamilton v Kovalainen v Raikkonen v Massa v Heidfeld v Kubica v Rosberg and possibly Alonso. Would be a hell of a year!

one can only dream...

[EwanM]

To be honest, I'd like to see all four of those teams battling for first place. An eight-way WDC battle and four-way WCC battle would be immense!

Yeah can you imagine Hamilton v Kovalainen v Raikkonen v Massa v Heidfeld v Kubica v Rosberg and possibly Alonso. Would be a hell of a year!

one can only dream...

Take Kovalainen and Heidfeld outta that one.