Austrian test driver Alexander Wurz will replace Australian Mark Webber [ Images ] in the Williams race line-up next season, the Formula One team announced on Wednesday.

Germany's [ Images ] Nico Rosberg [ Images ], son of 1982 world champion Keke, will remain with the British-based team after an impressive rookie season.

Webber, managed by Renault [ Images ] team boss Flavio Briatore, faces an uncertain future but has been linked to the world champions and other teams.

Wurz, who was classified in third place for McLaren [ Images ] at Imola last year in a one-off appearance as a stand-in for the injured Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya [ Images ], was a Formula One regular with Benetton from 1997 to 2000.

The 32-year-old moved from McLaren, where he had also been a test driver, to Williams this year and was delighted to be returning to racing.

"My natural habitat is racing, so I couldn't be happier to have received Williams' vote of confidence for this job," he declared in a statement before the weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix [ Images ].

Team boss Frank Williams, who denied last weekend that Wurz had a clause in his testing contract guaranteeing him a race seat, talked up his driver choice as part of the 'cornerstones of a competitive team' being put in place.

The team announced a new three-year engine deal with Toyota [ Images ] last week.