• Driver News

Williams signs F3 driver Valtteri Bottas to test

F3 driver Valtteri Bottas has signed to test for Williams © Sutton Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• Drivers:
• Rubens Barrichello
• |
• Nico Hülkenberg
• |
• Sir Frank Williams

• Teams:
• Williams

Finnish Formula Three driver Valtteri Bottas will be Williams' official test driver in 2010.

He will replace Nico Hulkenberg, who has moved into the race driver role alongside Rubens Barrichello, and will continue to race in the F3 Euroseries after finishing third in the championship last year. Since graduating from karts in 2006, Bottas has raced in Formula Renault, becoming Euroseries and NEC champion in 2008, before driving for ART in F3 in 2009.

Team boss Sir Frank Williams said he is confident his new signing has the right credentials.

"Valtteri's CV is very impressive, with a long list of success in the right junior formula," he said. "We hope that the role of official test driver in our squad will provide him with another step in his development. We wish him all the best in the Formula Three Euroseries this season."

Bottas was delighted with the news and said it brought him one step closer to achieveing his dream of driving in F1.

"This is a great way to start 2010," Bottas said. "I am very honoured to have been selected by a team as prestigious as AT&T Williams, one of the most significant names in the sport. This is an important step in my career but now the real work starts to get to the top. I am sure I will learn a lot with the team and I trust that together we will achieve great results for the years to come."

The new Williams car received a shakedown at Silverstone on Thursday, ahead of its official launch and first test in Valencia on Monday.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.