"I am proud Spain has an F1 team"

Pedro Martínez de la Rosa is going to be back on the track. The 40-year-old Spaniard has just signed a contract to race with Spanish rookie team HRT for the next two seasons, leaving behind his long-held job as a test driver for McLaren Mercedes.

De la Rosa made his debut in Formula 1 in the year 2000, with the now-defunct Arrows team, before moving to Jaguar and then McLaren, where he achieved his finest finish: second place at the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix, having taken over from Argentinean driver Juan Pablo Montoya.

Last year saw him behind the wheel of a Sauber, although that drive was short-lived, with De la Rosa replaced by Nick Heidfeld after the Italian Grand Prix.

HRT, which is due to set up its base in the Mediterranean city of Valencia, is in the middle of a process of expansion, as has been made clear by the recent improvements to its car. Just a few months ago, the team confirmed that their cars would be powered by Cosworth engines, while Williams would be supplying their gearboxes and KERS energy-recovery systems.

"This is a very important step in my sporting career and one of the most meditated ones I've taken," said De la Rosa this week of the decision.

"I'm at a very good stage in terms of maturity and am prepared to take on this challenge, which motivates me hugely. When deciding on joining this project, for me there were three decisive factors: my desire to return to active competition, the fact that HRT is a Spanish team and getting to know the people leading this project, Luis Perez-Sala being amongst them. "For me, this is the time to put into practice everything that I have learnt over the years at international top level racing teams so that we can grow together," he continued.

"I am proud that Spain has an F1 team and that I have this opportunity to be its driver. I can only show my gratitude toward HRT for having trusted in me for this."

Throughout the current season, which has seen Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel hang on to his championship crown, De la Rosa has consolidated his position within the McLaren team. On Fridays, during free practice sessions, he was often to be seen on the pit wall, carrying out a management role. Martin Whitmarsh, the team boss and a good friend of De la Rosa's, had fond words for the Spaniard this week, recognizing his contribution to the development of the car, while also acknowledging that he was aware of his desire to get back in the driver's seat

"Pedro's contribution to Vodafone McLaren Mercedes has been fantastically valuable - perhaps even more valuable than may be apparent to outsiders, in fact - ever since he joined us in 2003," Whitmarsh said this week. "As a test driver, he's been extraordinarily hard-working - on track and, latterly, more often, in our simulator - and his feedback has been reliable and expert. But his contributions have gone wider and deeper than that: Pedro is the archetypal team player, a big motivational presence in our team, and, perhaps because of that, he's someone whom I personally will always count as a true friend.

"In 2010 and 2011 he drove some races for the Sauber team - and, although he's always approached his test and development work with McLaren with energy and enthusiasm, he remains a racer at heart," Whitmarsh continued.

"For that reason, we understand and support his decision to join HRT as a race driver, and we wish him well. It goes without saying, however, that he'll be missed."