Spanish driver Pedro de la Rosa was confirmed on Tuesday as the second driver for BMW Sauber. He will partner Kamui Kobayashi at the Swiss team.

The 38-year-old driver, who has previously managed 71 Grand Prix starts, will make a return to full-time competitive Formula 1 action after spending seven years as McLaren's test driver.

Team Principal Peter Sauber, who today completed his 2010 team lineup, said of the signing:

Pedro has spent many years working for a top team at the highest technical level.

We as a team stand to gain from his experience, and the same goes for young Kamui. The combination of a seasoned racer and an up-and-coming young driver has repeatedly proved a very fruitful one. I don’t expect either of them to disappoint in 2010.

During his tenure as a McLaren test driver, de la Rosa stood in as a reserve driver for a number of races. In 2005, he finished fifth in Bahrain, the circuit that will open this year's race calendar. Speaking about his new position, Pedro said:

I’m really excited about the season with Peter Sauber’s team, which has been a solid fixture in Formula One ever since 1993.

Pedro's team mate Kamui Kobayashi was confirmed at the team last month.