Williams has signed Formula 3 Euro Series frontrunner Valtteri Bottas as its official test driver for the 2010 Formula 1 season.

The 20-year-old Finn, who is managed by former world champion Mika Hakkinen, steps into the role vacated by GP2 champion Nico Hulkenberg, who has been promoted to the Williams race team this year.

“This is a great way to start 2010,” said Bottas. “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.”

Bottas pledged to do his utmost to justify Williams’s faith in him.

“This is an important step in my career but now the real work starts to get to the top,” he said. “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.

“This opportunity gives me even more positive energy to improve as a driver and achieve my future targets as my ultimate goal will be to become Formula 1 world champion one day.

“I take the opportunity to thank Sir Frank Williams and the senior management of the team and also to thanks my management and my sponsors for all their work and support so far.”

Bottas finished third in his F3 Euro Series rookie season last year with top team ART, and is among the 2010 title favourites having completed a deal to stay with the squad.

Sir Frank Williams added: “Valtteri’s CV is very impressive, with a long list of success in the right junior formulae. 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 3 Euro Series this season.”

Alexander Rossi will race for Meritus for the rest of the GP2 Asia Series.

The 18-year-old American, who finished fourth and fifth in the series opener at Abu Dhabi with Ocean Racing in November, will replace Diego Nunes in the Malaysian-based team’s line-up for the second round of the championship on February 5-6.

“I am very confident in the team’s abilities to prepare a race-winning car and I am very much looking forward to getting back to work in Abu Dhabi,” said Rossi.

“My goal is simple, to win. I feel that I can deliver on this ambition as this team is one of continual strength and determination.”

Rossi will partner Luca Filippi at the team for the remaining three rounds of the series, before joining ART for the inaugural GP3 championship.

Meritus team boss Peter Thompson added: “I’m delighted that Luca will partner such a talented new team-mate. Alexander knows the track and Luca knows the team very well. I am really confident that with these two drivers we will be able to fight for podiums and wins.”

Alexander Rossi will race for Meritus for the rest of the GP2 Asia Series.

The 18-year-old American, who finished fourth and fifth in the series opener at Abu Dhabi with Ocean Racing in November, will replace Diego Nunes in the Malaysian-based team’s line-up for the second round of the championship on February 5-6.

“I am very confident in the team’s abilities to prepare a race-winning car and I am very much looking forward to getting back to work in Abu Dhabi,” said Rossi.

“My goal is simple, to win. I feel that I can deliver on this ambition as this team is one of continual strength and determination.”

Rossi will partner Luca Filippi at the team for the remaining three rounds of the series, before joining ART for the inaugural GP3 championship.

Meritus team boss Peter Thompson added: “I’m delighted that Luca will partner such a talented new team-mate. Alexander knows the track and Luca knows the team very well. I am really confident that with these two drivers we will be able to fight for podiums and wins.”

Alexander Rossi will race for Meritus for the rest of the GP2 Asia Series.

The 18-year-old American, who finished fourth and fifth in the series opener at Abu Dhabi with Ocean Racing in November, will replace Diego Nunes in the Malaysian-based team’s line-up for the second round of the championship on February 5-6.

“I am very confident in the team’s abilities to prepare a race-winning car and I am very much looking forward to getting back to work in Abu Dhabi,” said Rossi.

“My goal is simple, to win. I feel that I can deliver on this ambition as this team is one of continual strength and determination.”

Rossi will partner Luca Filippi at the team for the remaining three rounds of the series, before joining ART for the inaugural GP3 championship.

Meritus team boss Peter Thompson added: “I’m delighted that Luca will partner such a talented new team-mate. Alexander knows the track and Luca knows the team very well. I am really confident that with these two drivers we will be able to fight for podiums and wins.”

Alexander Rossi will race for Meritus for the rest of the GP2 Asia Series.

The 18-year-old American, who finished fourth and fifth in the series opener at Abu Dhabi with Ocean Racing in November, will replace Diego Nunes in the Malaysian-based team’s line-up for the second round of the championship on February 5-6.

“I am very confident in the team’s abilities to prepare a race-winning car and I am very much looking forward to getting back to work in Abu Dhabi,” said Rossi.

“My goal is simple, to win. I feel that I can deliver on this ambition as this team is one of continual strength and determination.”

Rossi will partner Luca Filippi at the team for the remaining three rounds of the series, before joining ART for the inaugural GP3 championship.

Meritus team boss Peter Thompson added: “I’m delighted that Luca will partner such a talented new team-mate. Alexander knows the track and Luca knows the team very well. I am really confident that with these two drivers we will be able to fight for podiums and wins.”

US F1’s new signing Jose Maria Lopez has admitted that he never expected to get another chance to break into Formula 1 after dropping out of the European racing scene three years ago.

Lopez was a champion in the Formula Renault V6 series – a forerunner to the current Formula Renault 3.5 championship – and raced in Formula 3000 and GP2 alongside a test and reserve role with the Renault F1 team. But he lost his Renault position at the end of 2006 and returned to his native Argentina to race touring cars, becoming a multiple champion.

“Three years ago when I returned from Europe I couldn’t imagine getting this opportunity again,” Lopez told Reuters. “I know how difficult it is to get into F1.

“Thank God the results and many other things came together. There are five new teams in F1 with more seats available.

“After a fantastic 2009 for me, which is very hard for anyone to repeat, if it wasn’t [going to happen] this year it was going to be very difficult.”

The 26-year-old admitted that after several years away from single seater racing and with his team starting from scratch, the 2010 season could be tough. But Lopez is optimistic that US F1 is capable of beating fellow newcomers Lotus, Virgin and Campos.

“It’s difficult to set objectives because there are many new things – new driver, new team starting from zero,” he said.

“We must be patient and have confidence in the people working [for the team]. Today, the objective is to be ahead of the new teams.”

US F1’s new signing Jose Maria Lopez has admitted that he never expected to get another chance to break into Formula 1 after dropping out of the European racing scene three years ago.

Lopez was a champion in the Formula Renault V6 series – a forerunner to the current Formula Renault 3.5 championship – and raced in Formula 3000 and GP2 alongside a test and reserve role with the Renault F1 team. But he lost his Renault position at the end of 2006 and returned to his native Argentina to race touring cars, becoming a multiple champion.

“Three years ago when I returned from Europe I couldn’t imagine getting this opportunity again,” Lopez told Reuters. “I know how difficult it is to get into F1.

“Thank God the results and many other things came together. There are five new teams in F1 with more seats available.

“After a fantastic 2009 for me, which is very hard for anyone to repeat, if it wasn’t [going to happen] this year it was going to be very difficult.”

The 26-year-old admitted that after several years away from single seater racing and with his team starting from scratch, the 2010 season could be tough. But Lopez is optimistic that US F1 is capable of beating fellow newcomers Lotus, Virgin and Campos.

“It’s difficult to set objectives because there are many new things – new driver, new team starting from zero,” he said.

“We must be patient and have confidence in the people working [for the team]. Today, the objective is to be ahead of the new teams.”

US F1’s new signing Jose Maria Lopez has admitted that he never expected to get another chance to break into Formula 1 after dropping out of the European racing scene three years ago.

Lopez was a champion in the Formula Renault V6 series – a forerunner to the current Formula Renault 3.5 championship – and raced in Formula 3000 and GP2 alongside a test and reserve role with the Renault F1 team. But he lost his Renault position at the end of 2006 and returned to his native Argentina to race touring cars, becoming a multiple champion.

“Three years ago when I returned from Europe I couldn’t imagine getting this opportunity again,” Lopez told Reuters. “I know how difficult it is to get into F1.

“Thank God the results and many other things came together. There are five new teams in F1 with more seats available.

“After a fantastic 2009 for me, which is very hard for anyone to repeat, if it wasn’t [going to happen] this year it was going to be very difficult.”

The 26-year-old admitted that after several years away from single seater racing and with his team starting from scratch, the 2010 season could be tough. But Lopez is optimistic that US F1 is capable of beating fellow newcomers Lotus, Virgin and Campos.

“It’s difficult to set objectives because there are many new things – new driver, new team starting from zero,” he said.

“We must be patient and have confidence in the people working [for the team]. Today, the objective is to be ahead of the new teams.”

US F1’s new signing Jose Maria Lopez has admitted that he never expected to get another chance to break into Formula 1 after dropping out of the European racing scene three years ago.

Lopez was a champion in the Formula Renault V6 series – a forerunner to the current Formula Renault 3.5 championship – and raced in Formula 3000 and GP2 alongside a test and reserve role with the Renault F1 team. But he lost his Renault position at the end of 2006 and returned to his native Argentina to race touring cars, becoming a multiple champion.

“Three years ago when I returned from Europe I couldn’t imagine getting this opportunity again,” Lopez told Reuters. “I know how difficult it is to get into F1.

“Thank God the results and many other things came together. There are five new teams in F1 with more seats available.

“After a fantastic 2009 for me, which is very hard for anyone to repeat, if it wasn’t [going to happen] this year it was going to be very difficult.”

The 26-year-old admitted that after several years away from single seater racing and with his team starting from scratch, the 2010 season could be tough. But Lopez is optimistic that US F1 is capable of beating fellow newcomers Lotus, Virgin and Campos.

“It’s difficult to set objectives because there are many new things – new driver, new team starting from zero,” he said.

“We must be patient and have confidence in the people working [for the team]. Today, the objective is to be ahead of the new teams.”

Team US F1 has signed former Renault test driver Jose Maria Lopez to join its debut season in Formula 1.

The Argentinean’s move into F1 with the Charlotte-based outfit was announced by the President of his native country, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, in Buenos Aires late on Monday evening.

Speaking about his step up to F1, Lopez said: “This is a truly memorable day for me, my family and the people of Argentina.

“I have been working towards this day for much of my life and I can’t thank Peter and Ken [Anderson] enough for this opportunity. Of course a new F1 team faces many challenges but our goal is to improve with each race and build a foundation that will eventually see this team competing for wins and championships.”

US F1 executive vice president Peter Windsor said he had been following Lopez’s career for several years.

“Securing ‘Pechito’ Lopez for our debut season has been a goal of ours for a long time,” he said. “We’ve been following his career since he dominated the Renault V6 Championship in 2003 and we’re thrilled to have him on board as we return America to Formula 1.

“Lopez is a consummate professional and born leader. The most revealing thing about his character was how he handled the disappointment of not racing for Renault after three years of testing with them in F1.

“Instead of moping around and feeling sorry for himself, he returned to Argentina and totally dominated the local scene, winning 38 races and three championships. He became a major star as a result and, in turn, the Argentine nation – a country where F1 is second only to soccer – has got behind him.”

Lopez enjoyed a successful kart career and won several championships in junior single seaters, including the 2002 Italian Formula Renault Championship and the European Formula Renault V6 Championship in 2003.

He was a race winner in GP2, triumphing at Barcelona in 2005, and he also he completed several thousands of miles in F1 machinery in his test driver role with Renault in 2003 before returning to race action in touring cars in his native Argentina.