Rosberg: “Very proud”

Nico Rosberg, German driver, joins Mercedes GP for the 2010 season. While he sometimes chomped at the bit with Williams, where he has not always been able to count on a competitive car, the 24-year-old driver is joining a solid structure who wants to settle at the top of the hierarchy for several seasons.

« I am really happy to be part of the revival of the Silver Arrows in 2010, as a Mercedes driver, declares Nico Rosberg. No other brand in Formula 1 cannot boast such a long and successful motor racing tradition. I am very proud to drive for the new Mercedes team and to work with Ross Brawn. I am more motivated than ever and I am looking forward to testing with the Silver Arrows, just as I am looking forward to the first race of the next season, in Bahrain, on March 14. »

For his part, Ross Brawn is also happy to be able to count on the reinforcement of a young and talented driver. “ We are delighted to welcome Nico Rosberg to our Mercedes team and look forward to working with him very much. Nico is a very talented driver, with four years of experience in Formula 1, and who will be able to make a valuable contribution to our team from the start. »

If he is delighted to be able to count on the German driver, the team manager also refers to the young man's parentage. “ I had the pleasure of working with his father Keke (1982 world champion) during his Formula 1 career, and it’s great to see Nico following in his footsteps. 2009 was Nico's best season in Formula 1 to date and we look forward to seeing his progress continue with us at Mercedes next year. »

As for Norbert Haug, boss of Mercedes Motorsport, he can rejoice. While he was never able to see a German pilot driving a McLaren since the start of the McLaren-Mercedes partnership, Norbert Haug can now count on a great national hope within the new Mercedes GP entity, born from the takeover of Brawn GP by the German manufacturer.

« I have known Nico since he was a very young boy, declares the boss of Mercedes Motorsport. I saw him in a kart alongside Lewis Hamilton, then later in the events support program DTM. From the start, it was obvious that he was going to make his way as a driver. We are happy that, after four years at Williams, he is now a Mercedes driver. Having a talented and friendly driver in our team makes our new start even better. Nico has good ambitions, we have good ambitions, we hope to do great things together. »