Pat Symonds joins Sky Sports F1's commentary team for 2017

Symonds left Williams at the end of last year, in effect to make way for the incoming Paddy Lowe.

He told Autosport that he had a number of offers, and would make a call on his future while on holiday in February.

Sky says Symonds "will provide commentary on a selection of races throughout the year", starting with Australia.

"Pat will make a brilliant addition to our team, bringing a wealth of experience to Sky Sports F1," said Sky's head of F1 Martin Turner.

"His knowledge, expertise and passion will add another dimension to our analysis and enhance the viewing experience for fans as they seek to understand the new cars and regulations.

"In this era of Formula 1 there is no one better to explain it."

Symonds added: "I have always been impressed with the quality and innovation of Sky's F1 coverage.

"It feels like a really exciting time to join the team ahead of such an unpredictable season and with all races being shown in UHD, it will be even more visually dramatic at every turn."

It remains to be seen whether Symonds adds other jobs to his 2017 workload, but one obvious possibility could be a role assisting his former Benetton colleague Ross Brawn with research into future directions for F1.

It is understood that Brawn is looking for experienced engineers to join his team.