
The Honda Formula 1 team announced on Thursday that they have signed Alexander Wurz as the team's new test driver. Wurz will join Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello at the Brackley based team.
Wurz left the Williams F1 team one race before the end of the 2007 F1 season and it was thought his F1 career was finished. The Austrian surprised a few when he was announced as Honda's test and reserve driver.
Wurz will commence his testing role with the Honda Racing F1 Team on Tuesday 22 January in Valencia, joining Jenson and Rubens at the Spanish circuit for the team's first test of the year. He will spend this test acclimatising to the team, its systems and last year's RA107 to provide a reference for his onward development role. The race drivers will be at the wheel of the team's new RA108 challenger, which will run in its interim colours in advance of the team's technical and livery launch at its Brackley headquarters on 29 January.
Commenting on his new role with Honda, Alex Wurz said, "I am delighted to be joining the Honda Racing F1 Team at the beginning of what I hope can be a very exciting period for the team. Honda has such a rich history of success in motorsport and it is a real honour to be part of a team that has racing right at the core of its operation.
"This is an excellent opportunity to play an important role in the development of the team going forward. My three previous teams have all been world championship winners and I hope to be able to contribute to Honda's ambitions. The chance to work with one of the best brains in F1 in Ross Brawn is very exciting, as is the level of resources that the Honda team has at its disposal. I am also looking forward to working with Jenson and Rubens, two drivers who I know very well, and I'm sure we will form a very successful partnership over the coming weeks. For now, my immediate focus is on getting back in a Formula One car in Valencia and starting work with the team."