De la Rosa to race for Sauber

Spaniard Pedro de la Rosa has been named the second driver at the BMW Sauber [ Images ] Formula One team for the 2010 season.

The 38-year-old, a reserve and test driver with McLaren [ Images ] for the last seven years, will partner Japan's [ Images ] Kamui Kobayashi. His appointment ended speculation linking Italy's [ Images ] Giancarlo Fisichella [ Images ] to the vacant seat at Peter Sauber's team.

"I always firmly believed I would be given another chance as a team driver," De la Rosa, who has driven in 71 Grands Prix, said in a statement.

De la Rosa drove his first Grand Prix [ Images ] for Arrows at the 1999 race in Australia [ Images ].