Nakajima secures Williams GP seat

Nakajima secures Williams GP seat

Japanese star Kazuki Nakajima will join Nico Rosberg at Williams in Formula One next year. The 22-year-old made a solid debut in the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix, where he replaced Alex Wurz. Team owner Sir Frank Williams said: “Kazuki has impressed as our test driver over the past year – he has the pace and the right aptitude to develop into a competitive racer.”

Bourdais signs off from US in style

Formula One-bound Sebastien Bourdais clinched the ChampCar season finale in Mexico City to cap a fourth straight title-winning year. The Frenchman, in a Newman/Haas/Lanigan car, held off Will Power for his 31st career victory from 73 starts. Spain’s Oriol Servia was third. Justin Wilson struggled but came 10th, and ended the season second overall behind Bourdais, as he did in 2006.

Schuey impresses on two wheels

Michael Schumacher has no desire to return to F1, despite plans to test a Ferrari at Barcelona. The former world champ is providing feedback to the team ahead of the ban on electronic driver aids in 2008. Schumacher has also been displaying his versatility by riding Casey Stoner’s title-winning Ducati MotoGP bike in Spain (right). Incredibly, he got to within five seconds of the lap record at Valencia.

Ex-Red Bull drivers in Force India test

FORCE India – the F1 team formerly known as Spyker, Midland and Jordan – has short-listed Christian Klien and Vitantonio Liuzzi for a seat alongside Adrian Sutil in 2008. The ex-Red Bull drivers will get a chance in testing at Barcelona this week. Austrian Klien has been acting as test and reserve driver at Honda, while Italian Liuzzi was axed from the Toro Rosso squad back in August.