Williams impressed by Rosberg

Frank Williams was impressed by the performance of 17 year old Nico Rosberg when the youngster tested for the team earlier this month and suggested he may get a race seat sooner than expected. Williams is happy with his current driver pairing of ...

Frank Williams was impressed by the performance of 17 year old Nico Rosberg when the youngster tested for the team earlier this month and suggested he may get a race seat sooner than expected. Williams is happy with his current driver pairing of Ralf Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya, describing them as 'the right drivers combination and as being very, very talented'. However, Rosberg is one driver that Williams is keeping an eye on.

Nico Rosberg.

Photo by BMW PressClub.

"Nico is only 17 years old, but he was driving very fast after only a few laps and he wasn't impressed by the car at all," he was quoted on the BMW website. Asked if Rosberg could become a Williams race driver in 2004 or 2005, the team boss replied cryptically: "Perhaps even earlier."

Rosberg, son of racing legend Keke, won the Formula BMW ADAC Championship in 2002 and is expected to race in Formula 3 in 2003. It's possible he could be taken on at Williams as test driver -- the team has tested a few young hopefuls since 2002 tester Antonio Pizzonia was signed up by Jaguar for next season.

Schumacher and Montoya are contracted to Williams for 2003 as race drivers although both came in for some criticism from the team this season. Williams remarked that Schumacher needed to make more of an effort, while more recently technical director Patrick Head said Montoya had quite a way to go before he was at the level to win the championship.