Fisichella confirmed as new Renault driver

Giancarlo Fisichella has been confirmed as a Renault driver for next season

Giancarlo Fisichella has been confirmed as a Renault driver for next season.  The Italian will take over from countryman Jarno Trulli as team-mate to Fernando Alonso in 2005 after negotiating a way out of his Sauber contract.

Today's news was widely expected after Trulli announced over the weekend he was to leave Renault, with a move to Toyota on the cards.
 
Renault boss Flavio Briatore expressed his joy at signing Fisichella, who drove for the team during their days as Benetton.
 
He said: "We are delighted to welcome Giancarlo to the Renault team. Since we last worked with him in 2001, every aspect of his approach to the sport has matured.
 
"I am confident that Fernando and Giancarlo are the drivers we need to achieve our goal of winning the world championship in the coming seasons.

Other moves in the Formula One merry-go-round include Australian driver Mark Webbe, who has agreed a deal with Williams and will join the English team at the end of the season.

Webber has impressed in his three seasons of Formula One despite racing for struggling Minardi and Jaguar.

He has caught the eye of team boss Sir Frank Williams, who was looking for two new drivers after Juan Pablo Montoya and Ralf Schumacher chose to join McLaren and Toyota respectively.

Williams has now confirmed what has been expected for some time in the Formula One paddock, with the Australian signing a long-term contract which begins next year.

READ MORE

Williams said: "Mark is self-evidently a highly talented driver. But his tenacity, determination and motivation are also qualities we prize at Williams.

"As a team, we have traditionally prospered with drivers who have a down-to-earth, `let's-get-on-with-it' attitude. Mark is certainly in that mould, and I am delighted he has agreed to join the team for 2005."