De la Rosa gets Prost test role

He has a two-year deal, making him ideally placed to take a fulltime seat in 2002.

However the news fuels speculation that Pedro will graduate to the race team this season, at the expense of Argentine Gaston Mazzacane. De La Rosa's nationality makes him eminently suitable to team backer PSN.

Pedro's path into Prost was eased by his relationship with countryman and team director Joan Villadelprat, and by the close links his manager Julian Jakobi has with Prost. Jakobi used to manage Alain and latterly has been a key player in the French team's commercial strategy.

De la Rosa is delighted to have found a secure future so soon after being dumped by Arrows. "Signing for Team Prost is a unique opportunity that has come to me in the best of moments," he said. "Having signed for the 2001 and 2002 season, it makes me feel a lucky man indeed. I must say last week was tough, but things have finally been solved and I know that we're in the right path now.

"Working with Alain Prost and Joan Villadelprat is a great honour and was a definite factor for me to decide my future. I think Team Prost has great potential and from then on I'll do what I possibly can to help them in the development of the car. I will be testing at Estoril by the end of the week and the only thing I know is that I'm willing to drive again!"

"I am delighted to welcome Pedro to our team at the eve of a very promising season," said Prost. "I am confident that his experience in Formula 1, as well as the talent he has already shown in the past, will be an important support to Jean (Alesi) and Gaston (Mazzacane), and will contribute to the achievement of the team's ambitions."

At Monday's Michelin launch Prost confirmed to Autosport.com that he had approached de la Rosa last season, and that he felt that Pedro was the 'best man for the job.'