Rosberg to stay at Williams

(GMM) The British team Williams has once again played down expectations that Nico Rosberg is a front-runner to replace Fernando Alonso at McLaren for the 2008 season.

After Spaniard Alonso's contract release was announced last Friday, Lewis Hamilton at the weekend publicly named Rosberg, the impressive 22-year-old German – as well as Adrian Sutil and Heikki Kovalainen – among the most likely drivers to race alongside him next year.

But Patrick Head, Williams' technical veteran and a co-owner of the Grove based team, has maintained the outfit's consistent message in the face of the rumours — that Rosberg is not for sale.

"Nico is contracted to our team for 2008 and we have an option for his services for 2009," he told the Mail on Sunday.

"We are planning to go into next season with Nico as our lead driver, and we would not entertain any approach from McLaren for Nico.

"McLaren are a team in a position to offer very large salaries, but our aim is to be looking to strengthen Williams," Head added.