**Brazilian Rubens Barrichello and German rookie Nico Hulkenberg have been announced as Williams’ new driver pairing for the 2010 Formula 1 season.**The duo come in for German driver Nico Rosberg, who is set to replace 37-year-old Barrichello at Brawn GP, and Japan’s Kazuki Nakajima.
Hulkenberg, 22, was Williams’ test and reserve driver this season.
Barrichello was third in this year’s drivers’ championship, with Brawn team-mate Jenson Button taking the title.
“He is not only the most experienced driver in Formula 1 but a passionate and talented driver who fought hard for the drivers’ championship this year,” said team principal Frank Williams.
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“Nico Hulkenberg won the GP2 Championship this season as a rookie and has previously won the F3 Euroseries, Formula Masters, A1 GP and Formula BMW Germany.”
Nakajima ended the season in Abu Dhabi on Sunday with the unfortunate distinction of completing all 17 races without scoring a point.
Barrichello entered Formula 1 in 1993 - a year before his close friend and compatriot Ayrton Senna was killed after a crash in a Williams car at Imola - and will be the first race winner to drive for the team since Colombia’s Juan Pablo Montoya and Germany’s Ralf Schumacher in 2004.
Williams, who have not won anything since 2004, will be Barrichello’s sixth team after Jordan, Stewart, Ferrari, Honda and Brawn.
“I am very hopeful of having a very competitive car next year, so that is what I want from myself. I want to go on and keep on winning,” stated Barrichello.
Barrichello is Formula 1’s most experienced driver, with a record 285 races to his name and 11 victories. He is now on course to become the first driver to have started 300 grands prix.