Official: Nico Rosberg will drive for Mercedes GP in 2010

We anticipated it this morning, Mercedes Grand Prix has officially announced the arrival of the German driver Nico Rosberg in their ranks for 2010. The German will be the leader of the Silver Arrows team, formerly Brawn GP.

The 24-year-old driver announced last October that he had left his historic team with Williams. Since then, he was widely expected to join Brawn GP or McLaren, with a contract with engine supplier Mercedes in his pocket. In recent days, the situation became clearer with the confirmations of Hamilton and Button at McLaren-Mercedes. Nico Rosberg will therefore participate in his 5th Formula 1 season with Mercedes Grand Prix.

« I am really very happy to be part of the Silver Arrows as a Mercedes driver in 2010. » commented the German. « No other brand in F1 can show such a history in engine competition. I am very proud to work with Ross Brawn and to drive for the all-new Mercedes team. »

I am more motivated than ever and eager to start testing the new Mercedes GP and race with it from the Bahrain Grand Prix in March.

The director of Mercedes GP, Ross Brawn, who led the team to be world champion for both drivers and constructors under the Brawn GP banner, is pleased with the choice made. For him, Rosberg was the ideal choice: « We are pleased to welcome Nico Rosberg to our new Mercedes team, and I am looking forward to working with him. »

« Nico [Rosberg] has a lot of talent and already has 4 years of experience in Formula 1. He will bring us a great deal, right from the first season of competition for the Mercedes Grand Prix team. »

« I had the pleasure of working with his father, Keke, and it’s nice to see that he is following in his footsteps; 2009 having been Nico’s best season, I hope it will be the same for 2010. » concludes Brawn.

Norbert Haug, the vice-president of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport, also expressed his satisfaction with the news during a press conference held in Germany earlier this afternoon: « I saw Rosberg race alongside Lewis Hamilton in karting, and I’ve known him since he was a young boy. I have always appreciated his skills, and after 4 years in F1, I am proud that he is joining us. I look forward to seeing our partnership in action next season. »

Despite speculation about the second driver for the Mercedes team, no name has been mentioned. Nick Heidfeld is increasingly emerging as a favorite, although other drivers are still in the running to complete the likely 100% German line-up of Mercedes GP.