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[McLaren Fan]

From F1 Live:

Nico Rosberg has issued a clear ultimatum to his British F1 employer Williams -- give me a competitive car, or lose me for 2010.

The German driver was one of the most exciting rising talents on the grid a couple of years ago, but in 2008 his Grove-built single seater was good enough to propel him to just thirteenth in the drivers' championship.

And given that next year is his fourth consecutive season with the former world champions, he insists 2009 is Williams' last chance to retain him.

When asked when he will make up his mind about 2010 and beyond, Rosberg told Formule 1 Race Report: "By the middle of the coming season."

"If Williams are still not there, then I will have to think about somewhere else. I have to think of my own career."

"There are other options for me, but if I wait for too long, those doors obviously close," he concluded.

D.B. © CAPSIS International
Source: GMM

That seems reasonable enough to me, but I wonder what this open door could be? No doubt he's referring to McLaren, but Rosberg left me slightly disappointed in 2008. He didn't comprehensively put Nakajima in the shade, which could worry me if he were to come to the team.

[EwanM]

From F1 Live:

Nico Rosberg has issued a clear ultimatum to his British F1 employer Williams -- give me a competitive car, or lose me for 2010.

The German driver was one of the most exciting rising talents on the grid a couple of years ago, but in 2008 his Grove-built single seater was good enough to propel him to just thirteenth in the drivers' championship.

And given that next year is his fourth consecutive season with the former world champions, he insists 2009 is Williams' last chance to retain him.

When asked when he will make up his mind about 2010 and beyond, Rosberg told Formule 1 Race Report: "By the middle of the coming season."

"If Williams are still not there, then I will have to think about somewhere else. I have to think of my own career."

"There are other options for me, but if I wait for too long, those doors obviously close," he concluded.

D.B. © CAPSIS International
Source: GMM

That seems reasonable enough to me, but I wonder what this open door could be?

Bye Bye Heikki?

[McLaren Fan]

Bye Bye Heikki?

Well, it's too early to say, but Kovalainen knows there were a few people ahead of him in the queue to get the McLaren seat for 2008, so he must be aware he needs to get his act together - and fast.

[racechick]

I read, a while ago now. That Rosberg senior had tried to avoid putting Nicco into direct contention with Lewis and had chosen a different pathway, different formulae to get him to F1. This is borne out by their records. Kiki recognised the talent in Lewis and did not want Nicco compared unfavourably with him. Quite an astute move. But now that Nicco is in F1 I guess he will have to step up to that challenge and the best place to do that is in a Ferrari or a McLaren (at the moment).Nicco and Lewis get on well, so it could work.

[7UpJordan]

Fair play to Nico, it's the last year on his contract anyway but I really do hope Williams get their act together and give Nico a good enough car for him to stay on. If in the event he does move on though hopefully Nico 2 (Hulkenberg) will be ready to step into the breach, but he really needs a season of GP2 first even though he is the F3 Euroseries Champion, no matter how much PR-stunts Wili Weber is going to pull off in the next year.

[EwanM]

Fair play to Nico, it's the last year on his contract anyway but I really do hope Williams get their act together and give Nico a good enough car for him to stay on. If in the event he does move on though hopefully Nico 2 (Hulkenberg) will be ready to step into the breach, but he really needs a season of GP2 first even though he is the F3 Euroseries Champion, no matter how much PR-stunts Wili Weber is going to pull off in the next year.

No offence to Williams or any of their supporters.But If Rosberg leaves and you end up keeping Nakajima and bringing in Hulkenberg (esp if he doesn't win GP2) - really doesn't look good for moving forward?

[7UpJordan]

Fair play to Nico, it's the last year on his contract anyway but I really do hope Williams get their act together and give Nico a good enough car for him to stay on. If in the event he does move on though hopefully Nico 2 (Hulkenberg) will be ready to step into the breach, but he really needs a season of GP2 first even though he is the F3 Euroseries Champion, no matter how much PR-stunts Wili Weber is going to pull off in the next year.

No offence to Williams or any of their supporters.But If Rosberg leaves and you end up keeping Nakajima and bringing in Hulkenberg (esp if he doesn't win GP2) - really doesn't look good for moving forward?

Well Nakajima will hopefully step up his game next year now he's got a full season under his belt. Even if Hulk doesn't win GP2 he should still be good enough as long as he doesn't duplicate his sluggish testing pace.

[EwanM]

Fair play to Nico, it's the last year on his contract anyway but I really do hope Williams get their act together and give Nico a good enough car for him to stay on. If in the event he does move on though hopefully Nico 2 (Hulkenberg) will be ready to step into the breach, but he really needs a season of GP2 first even though he is the F3 Euroseries Champion, no matter how much PR-stunts Wili Weber is going to pull off in the next year.

No offence to Williams or any of their supporters.But If Rosberg leaves and you end up keeping Nakajima and bringing in Hulkenberg (esp if he doesn't win GP2) - really doesn't look good for moving forward?

Well Nakajima will hopefully step up his game next year now he's got a full season under his belt. Even if Hulk doesn't win GP2 he should still be good enough as long as he doesn't duplicate his sluggish testing pace.

Would you want Hulk in? Could there be any other drivers that would take that seat by 2010.
Nick Heidfeld maybe?

[7UpJordan]

Fair play to Nico, it's the last year on his contract anyway but I really do hope Williams get their act together and give Nico a good enough car for him to stay on. If in the event he does move on though hopefully Nico 2 (Hulkenberg) will be ready to step into the breach, but he really needs a season of GP2 first even though he is the F3 Euroseries Champion, no matter how much PR-stunts Wili Weber is going to pull off in the next year.

No offence to Williams or any of their supporters.But If Rosberg leaves and you end up keeping Nakajima and bringing in Hulkenberg (esp if he doesn't win GP2) - really doesn't look good for moving forward?

Well Nakajima will hopefully step up his game next year now he's got a full season under his belt. Even if Hulk doesn't win GP2 he should still be good enough as long as he doesn't duplicate his sluggish testing pace.

Would you want Hulk in? Could there be any other drivers that would take that seat by 2010.
Nick Heidfeld maybe?

If there's nobody else around unless someone really amazing comes out of nowhere Hulk would be the way to go. But drivers like Quick Nick, Bourdais or (clue ) would fill Nico's seat nicely if I had a choice.

[prozac26]

From F1 Live:

Nico Rosberg has issued a clear ultimatum to his British F1 employer Williams -- give me a competitive car, or lose me for 2010.

The German driver was one of the most exciting rising talents on the grid a couple of years ago, but in 2008 his Grove-built single seater was good enough to propel him to just thirteenth in the drivers' championship.

And given that next year is his fourth consecutive season with the former world champions, he insists 2009 is Williams' last chance to retain him.

When asked when he will make up his mind about 2010 and beyond, Rosberg told Formule 1 Race Report: "By the middle of the coming season."

"If Williams are still not there, then I will have to think about somewhere else. I have to think of my own career."

"There are other options for me, but if I wait for too long, those doors obviously close," he concluded.

D.B. © CAPSIS International
Source: GMM

That seems reasonable enough to me, but I wonder what this open door could be?

Bye Bye Heikki?

If he has a good season next year, I don't see why/

[EwanM]

Fair play to Nico, it's the last year on his contract anyway but I really do hope Williams get their act together and give Nico a good enough car for him to stay on. If in the event he does move on though hopefully Nico 2 (Hulkenberg) will be ready to step into the breach, but he really needs a season of GP2 first even though he is the F3 Euroseries Champion, no matter how much PR-stunts Wili Weber is going to pull off in the next year.

No offence to Williams or any of their supporters.But If Rosberg leaves and you end up keeping Nakajima and bringing in Hulkenberg (esp if he doesn't win GP2) - really doesn't look good for moving forward?

Well Nakajima will hopefully step up his game next year now he's got a full season under his belt. Even if Hulk doesn't win GP2 he should still be good enough as long as he doesn't duplicate his sluggish testing pace.

Would you want Hulk in? Could there be any other drivers that would take that seat by 2010.
Nick Heidfeld maybe?

If there's nobody else around unless someone really amazing comes out of nowhere Hulk would be the way to go. But drivers like Quick Nick, Bourdais or (clue ) would fill Nico's seat nicely if I had a choice.

Oh yeah, he may be outta contract in 2010... Straight Swap.

[f1maniac95]

If Heikki dosen't get his pace up next year then I think it might be a swap him for Nico. Nico and Lewis would be an excellent driver pairing and Nico would be able to challenge for the championship.

[scotty]

It works both ways Nico... it's not the sole responsibility of the team to 'deliver the car', which is partly what he seems to be insinuating here.

[Denthúl]

That seems reasonable enough to me, but I wonder what this open door could be? No doubt he's referring to McLaren, but Rosberg left me slightly disappointed in 2008. He didn't comprehensively put Nakajima in the shade, which could worry me if he were to come to the team.

I would assume any of the German, or German-backed, teams. McLaren, BMW and even Toyota could be options here. Honestly, though, I'd like his success to come at Williams rather than anywhere else. He's very talented and I think that Williams need him, and a good car, if they want to start challenging up front next season and beyond.

[McLaren Fan]

That seems reasonable enough to me, but I wonder what this open door could be? No doubt he's referring to McLaren, but Rosberg left me slightly disappointed in 2008. He didn't comprehensively put Nakajima in the shade, which could worry me if he were to come to the team.

I would assume any of the German, or German-backed, teams. McLaren, BMW and even Toyota could be options here. Honestly, though, I'd like his success to come at Williams rather than anywhere else. He's very talented and I think that Williams need him, and a good car, if they want to start challenging up front next season and beyond.

McLaren were sniffing around him for last season and have made their interest in him quite clear, so I think that unless Kovalainen seriously ups his game and if Williams don't look like producing a good car, McLaren would be the favourites for his signature.

Rosberg has said himself that he appreciates the history of Williams and would like to be a part of the team's rise going back to where it belongs, so I think if he would opt to the stay at the team if at all possible.