The Fast Lane

The German young driver Nico Hulkenberg is confirmed as AT&T Williams team's official test driver in the upcoming and exciting 2008 Formula One season.

According to my source, the young driver who recently tested for the team in Jerez last week made a great impression and accomplished with maturity over the past two days and 425 kms of development work.

"The two days of Formula One testing with the AT&T Williams team last week in Jerez were the realisation of an ambition that has driven me ever since my first kart race back in 1997,” stated Nico.

"When I actually got out on track in the FW29, it fulfilled every expectation and more. So to have represented myself sufficiently well to have been appointed as the team's official test driver is the most amazing news and for me, Christmas has come early."

Sam Michael, the Williams Technical Director, said, "Nico has been through the rigours of our driver assessment programme culminating in his two day test in Jerez last week. Clearly he has shown demonstrable talent in the junior formulae, but it was important for us to see if he could make the step to Formula One. On the evidence we have so far, Nico is a quick and capable driver."

Hiroshi Yasukawa, the Director df Bridgestone Motorsport, said in Motor Sport's press release: "Becoming the 'Official Tyre Supplier to the FIA Formula One World Championship' is a prestigious honour for Bridgestone and we await the start of the 2008 season with great anticipation. Our participation in Formula One is a core element of our company's expansion and development and this is an exciting step for us as a company."

"To be chosen by the FIA as the 'Official Tyre Supplier to the FIA Formula One World Championship' shows the high regard we are held in by the sport in which we have participated since 1997. We will continue to use Formula One as a global platform for promoting our brand and look forward to continuing our collaboration with the FIA Foundation to promote the 'Think Before You Drive' road safety campaign, the agreement for which has also recently been confirmed for the next three years," the statement continued. 

"As the sole tyre supplier to Formula One in 2007, we all saw a dramatic and exciting season with very close competition. We strived to treat all teams with fairness and we believe we did a good job. It was an epic battle with Kimi Raikkonen crowned the drivers' champion at the final round and in our role as 'Official Tyre Supplier' we now look forward with great anticipation to some equally exciting battles over the next three seasons."

Nico Hulkenberg, a 20-year-old racer from Emmerich in Germany, will be one among the AT&T Williams team testing drivers today as revealed by the team itself. 

Last week, the new AT&T member was seen testing in Jerez. It was impressive that a 20-year-old kid can do the same skills as with older racers. In its 425kms of development work, he was able to prove that age is not the base for the racers' performance.

Nico said, "The two days of Formula One testing with the AT&T Williams team last week in Jerez were the realization of an ambition that has driven me ever since my first kart race back in 1997."

"When I actually got out on track in the FW29, it fulfilled every expectation and more. So to have represented myself sufficiently well to have been appointed as the team's official test driver is the most amazing news and for me, Christmas has come early," he continued.

He was also a kart champion for three seasons as he competed for the German Formula BMW Championship, German F3, A1 GP and the Formula Three Euroseries. So being with the team may be new to him but racing activities are not.

Sam Michael, the Williams Technical Director, said in a statement, "Nico has been through the rigors of our driver assessment program culminating in his two day test in Jerez last week. Clearly he has shown demonstrable talent in the junior formulae, but it was important for us to see if he could make the step to Formula One. On the evidence we have so far, Nico is a quick and capable driver."

Panasonic Toyota Racing was able to test their driving skills for the first time with Timo Glock and Kamui Kobayashi as the new drivers for the team. It was their first time at the TF107. Both drivers left the pit garage at Jerez after everything was fine and then they started the long day test. The new driver soon took control of the vehicle and had gotten accustomed to their new cars. So far, the drivers didn’t encounter many drama on the race track.

Kamui was able to finish 114 laps and that is more than any other test drives if you look back at the history of any drivers of the Formula 1 from December 2006. Timo also pushed his luck using his 2007 electronic and so far, he managed to improve his laps as he became accustomed to TF107. Both drivers will continue their tests today, December 5, 2007.

Kamui Kobayashi said, "It was great to get back in a Formula 1 car again. Even though I don't officially become third driver until January, it feels like I have already begun my role and today I was able to learn a lot about the car. At the start of the day I was just trying to get comfortable with the car and the track and I was able to do a lot of laps which really helped me."

Kobayashi also said, "In the afternoon I could work more on set-up and understanding the development parts on the car and I think we made some good progress. I enjoy working with the team and this test is great experience for me before I officially start as third driver next year. Now I can't wait to get back in the car tomorrow."

The Senior General Manager Chassis Pascal Vasselon also said, "It has been a very interesting experience to have two new drivers in the car today. We are very pleased to have Timo in the car and he has made a strong first impression. He is very focused and worked hard today to understand the car and make some improvements in set-up."

Moreover, he said, "As expected, he did a good job and provided solid feedback, which is very useful for us. He drove without driver aids today but that was no problem for him because of his experience in GP2 driving without traction is natural to him."

In his last statement, he said, "The team already know Kamui from his tests with us last winter but he is a young driver with not so much Formula 1 experience so he had to acclimatise and get used to a Formula 1 car again. He did a good job, didn't make any mistakes and gave us some data on set-up with the new electronics system and new rear end. He also completed an impressive number of laps which shows how fit he is."

The two-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Champion and SIRIUS Radio host Tony Stewart announced the winners of the 2007 'Stewie Award'. He let the fans decide who really is to win the award by letting them sign in to www.SIRIUS.com to vote for the biggest, boldest and the funniest moments of the 2007 NASCAR season.

Motorsport.com had the complete list of the winners announced at SIRIUS New York. Here is the list of the winners:

Stewie Lifetime Achievement Award - Bill France, Jr., former Chairman and CEO of NASCAR / Benny Parsons, Hall of Fame driver/broadcaster

Golden Stewie Award - Honoring a legendary driver from the Golden Era of racing (1960-85) - A.J. Foyt

Best Duet - For outstanding teamwork by a driver and crew chief - Clint Bowyer & Gil Martin: Martin keeps Bowyer calm and team performs only one adjustment all day to get Bowyer's first career NASCAR Nextel Cup win in Sylvania 300 (Sept. 16)

Best Original Drama - For year's most exciting race moment - Kevin Harvick edges Mark Martin to win his first Daytona 500 (Feb. 18)

New Kid on the Track Award - For year's most outstanding performance by a rookie  - Juan Pablo Montoya: Wins first Nextel Cup race in Toyota Save Mart 350 (June 24)

Best Stunt Sequence (Hal Needham Award) - For year's most spectacular crash - Clint Bowyer: Crosses finish line at Daytona 500 on his roof (Feb. 18)

Best Original Comedy - For year's most entertaining on track "incident" or occurrence - Robby Gordon performs "victory celebration" burnout despite losing Busch Series race at Circuit Gilles Villaneuve in Canada (Aug. 4)

Best Vocal Performance - For year's most memorable quote or sound bite - Actor Kevin James: Provides memorable "Start Your Engines" command before Pepsi 400 (July 7)

Best Engineering and Special Effects (Smokey Yunick Award) - For year's most creative - and ultimately illegal - modifications to a race car - Crew Chief David Hyder & MWR VP of Competition Bobby Kennedy: Illegal fuel in #55 car at Daytona 500 (Feb. 18)

Dazed and Confused Award - For year's the most baffling move - Teresa Earnhardt and DEI allow Dale Earnhardt Jr. to leave for Hendrick Motorsports

'I Got Dumped' Award - For year's most memorable on-track bumping - Kyle Busch: Wrecked by brother Kurt in NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge (May 19)

Best Driver2Crew Chatter Exchange - For year's most memorable driver-to-pit crew communication - Denny Hamlin/#11 team: Discuss "plan of attack" against Dale Earnhardt Jr. and #8 car during Subway 500 (Oct. 21)

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