Sauber drive to de la Rosa

Pedro de la Rosa has joined rookie Kamui Kobayashi at Sauber, after seven years as a McLaren test driver.

The Spaniard, who turns 38 in February, has not had a full-time race drive since his last season with Jaguar in 2002. He made nine Grand Prix starts with McLaren, the last at Brazil in 2006.

De La Rosa had been linked with Campos Meta since the Spanish outfit’s inception, but had expressed concern about the team’s financial position. Ferrari tester Giancarlo Fisichella had also been linked to the Sauber seat.

Peter Sauber said de la Rosa’s McLaren knowledge will pay dividends: “We as a team stand to gain from his experience, and the same goes for young Kamui. I don’t expect either of them to disappoint in 2010.”