Rosberg to drive for Mercedes

NICO Rosberg will drive for the new Mercedes Formula One team in 2010.

Mercedes last week acquired a majority stake in Brawn GP, which won the championship last season, and will race under its brand name for the first time since 1955.

Mercedes did not name its second driver yesterday.

Team chief Ross Brawn dismissed speculation that it would be Michael Schumacher, the retired seven-time champion.

Brawn told Bild newspaper yesterday that Schumacher had no plans for a comeback.

Rosberg, son of former F1 champion Keke Rosberg, was born in Wiesbaden, Germany. The 24-year-old Rosberg drove for Williams the past four seasons, with a second place in Singapore in 2008 his best finish.

"Nico is a great talent and with four years of experience in Formula One, he will be able to make an immediate impact in our team," Brawn said in a statement yesterday.

"I am really looking forward to driving a Silver Arrow," Rosberg said.

Brawn, in the Bild interview, said rumors of an impending Schumacher comeback were media speculation and that "there is nothing to them."

Schumacher's manager, Willi Weber, said on Sunday that the former champion had met with Mercedes bosses recently.

"I know that Michael spoke with Dieter Zetsche (CEO) and Norbert Haug at the season's finale in Abu Dhabi," Weber said.

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