Dennis: It's Lewis' time.

McLaren Mercedes CEO Ron Dennis says he is confident that Lewis Hamilton will be able to rise to the challenge of competing in Formula One after confirming that the 21-year-old Briton will partner double world champion Fernando Alonso next season.

Hamilton, who has been backed by McLaren throughout his career to date, will follow Williams driver Nico Rosberg in stepping into F1 on the back of a title winning season in GP2 and now faces the challenge of working with Alonso to lift McLaren back to the top of the podium after the 2006 season passed without a victory.

With arguably the biggest reputation outside of Formula One, Hamilton has been linked with a race seat with the team ever since it became apparent that Kimi Raikkonen would be moving on the pastures new, and despite being overlooked in favour of Pedro de la Rosa when Juan Pablo Montoya departed the F1 scene, Dennis said the time had now arrived for the young Briton to be given his chance.

"Since 1998 Lewis has formed an important part of our long-term strategy and we are pleased that we are able to help him take another step and achieve his dream of becoming a Formula One racing driver," he said. "Pedro has done an outstanding job for us this season but we felt it was the right time to provide Lewis with this opportunity.

?It's obviously going to be the biggest challenge of Lewis's career so far but it's one that we are sure he will be able to meet. He is coming into the paddock for the first time as a Formula One racing driver and will have to familiarise himself with the pressures of a Grand Prix weekend. However the confidence we have in Lewis's abilities and talent is clear from our decision to give him the chance."

Mercedes-Benz motorsport boss Norbert Haug, another person to have had an important influence on Hamilton's career in the junior formulae, echoed Dennis' comments and said he was fully deserving of his chance to join the grid.

"Lewis is a gifted driver who proved his talent with two consecutive title wins - 2005 in the Formula 3 Euro Series in a Dallara Mercedes and this year in the GP2 Series,? he said. ?McLaren and Mercedes-Benz have supported Lewis already for nine years. He was half as tall as he is today when he started in karting.

?It's clear that Lewis has less experience in comparison to the other 21 Formula One drivers in Grand Prix cars. However extensive tests during the coming months will prepare him for his first season - I am very glad that a guy like him gets his deserved chance."