Nico Rosberg to stay with Williams for the next two years

Nico Rosberg secure his seat for 2008 & 2009 season with Williams

Nico Rosberg, one of the young talents that the big team are eyeing for has signed a new contract with Williams for the next two seasons. In 2008 Rosberg will effectively take on the role of Williams’ lead driver, despite having only two seasons of competitive F1 experience.

Below are the interview with Rosberg:

Q: Nico, congratulations on your new contract with the team!
Nico Rosberg: Thank you. I am really pleased to be staying with Williams for the next two years. I have taken this step because I believe in the team’s capabilities to move forward and I get on well with everyone in the team. Naturally being in such a central role as the lead development driver also motivates me. I first tested for Williams when I was 17, so our relationship is now five years old, and I'm happy to maintain this relationship and have the chance to help push the team further towards the front of the grid.

Q: Why is playing a role to push the team on important to you?
NR: My relationship with Williams started with an extremely difficult year in 2006. 2007 was a big improvement, we have been growing together and improving and it’s motivating that I’m playing a central role in this progression. Williams aren’t at the front right now, but are steadily getting there. I want to contribute to that process, especially now I have another season’s experience to draw on. It is right that as I develop as a driver that step by step I should take more responsibility.

Q: So how will you do this?
NR: Kazuki (Nakajima) comes into the team as a rookie next season, so I will have the job of leading the development of the car from a driver perspective. Ok, I am still lacking a bit of experience but I believe that my technical understanding is becoming one of my strong points. That said, it’s a team game - I need to do my bit and of course the factory also needs to push ahead as the pace of the car is so reliant on aspects such as aerodynamics, but as we have shown in the past 12 months, we have moved from eighth to fourth, so the team is definitely going in the right direction.

Detail interview: http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2007/12/7173.html