De la Rosa to stay with Arrows

The Spaniard finished sixth on his F1 debut in the Australian Grand Prix and outperformed highly-rated team-mate Tora Takagi for much of the year.

His personal sponsorship from Spanish oil giant Repsol also proved useful to the underfunded team.

Arrows, who switch from their own self-built engines to Supertec customer units next season, have yet to sign a second driver.

Although Takagi is still in the frame, the favourite for the drive is Jos Verstappen. The Dutchman starred for Arrows in 1996 and is believed to have secured major personal sponsorship.

Dutchman Tom Coronel is also thought to be somewhere in the reckoning. He won the Japanese Formula Nippon title this season and has the backing to secure an F1 ride.

Australian Mark Webber is likely to become the team's test driver after impressing in a run at Jerez recently. He will drive for Arrows' junior arm in Formula 3000.