Rosberg: I won't be a McLaren driver in 2008.

Nico Rosberg has said that he has doesn't want to join McLaren-Mercedes in 2008 - and that he is happy to remain with Williams.

Rosberg enjoyed a strong season in 2007 - notching up 20 points in total, and ended the year on a real high, with five points finishes from the final seven races, including a fourth place finish at the finale at Interlagos, in Brazil.

Despite rumours linking him to the seat vacated by Fernando Alonso however, even though Williams have insisted they won't let him go, Nico himself has now said that he doesn't want to leave the Grove-based operation.

"I am staying here, I'm only 22 and am not rushed yet," he told British broadsheet newspaper, The Daily Telegraph. "I can pace my career - but I want to start being on the podium next season."

As for what he thinks of McLaren favourite, Lewis Hamilton, Nico added that while there is no doubt the Englishman has done amazingly well in his rookie year, it shouldn't be forgotten that he has had a very, very good car.

"You [the British media] have got to get the right perspective. You can't argue with his performance because he has had the world champion as a team-mate and that is all the perspective you need. But no other rookie has ever had the equipment he had," he pointed out.

Which team Nico will race for next season meanwhile is likely to remain the subject of much debate, at least until McLaren confirm who will drive alongside Hamilton.

Only yesterday, Willi Webber told German daily newspaper Bild-Zeitung that Rosberg would be ill-advised to go to McLaren.

The report also claimed that despite Sir Frank Williams' protestations that he has no intention of letting his young charge go, he may be yet persuaded to part company with Rosberg should McLaren-Mercedes team boss Ron Dennis be willing to compensate him to the tune of at least $22 million.