Dec.3 (GMM) Pedro de la Rosa has acknowledged his plans to return to formula one in 2011 may stall due to a lack of personal sponsorship.

After several years as McLaren's test driver, the 39-year-old Spaniard was ousted by Sauber after 14 races of his race comeback season.

Now Pirelli's tyre tester, de la Rosa had been linked with the Spanish team HRT for 2011, but owner Jose Ramon Carabante recently warned that "without money, there is no place for him".

The FIA entry list published earlier this week showed 10 potential vacancies for next season, but when asked if there are actually fewer openings, de la Rosa insisted: "For sure.

"Most of them are already reserved for drivers that come with a sponsor," he is quoted by the Spanish sports newspaper Marca.

"That's my handicap," he admitted, "that I haven't got a sponsor. But I'm not giving up.

"I'm stubborn and I want to race. If in the end I have to be a reserve or a tester, I will, but first I will try everything (to race)."

De la Rosa admitted that there are options outside of F1, including the premier American open wheel series Indycar.

"I'm not considering that yet," he insisted. "It's interesting, but - for now - I still think that I can be in F1."

Latest F1 News - Mobile version

26 Feb: New Ferrari not quickest in field - Domenicali 26 Feb: Red Bull still best in 2013 - Tost 26 Feb: 2014 French grand prix 'possible' - Prost 26 Feb: Danica Patrick 'not interested' in F1 switch 26 Feb: Report - Gilles Simon working on F1 engine for Honda 26 Feb: Gutierrez plays down link to Carlos Slim 26 Feb: Caterham exhaust 'legal' insists van der Garde 26 Feb: McLaren replaces Mercedes-bound Lowe 25 Feb: 'Engine maps' trouble for Red Bull, Lotus - report 25 Feb: Mercedes-bound Lowe to miss 2013 opener - report 25 Feb: Mercedes 'in group of teams' behind Red Bull - Lauda 25 Feb: Gutierrez expects Hulkenberg to beat him early in 2013 25 Feb: New Ferrari 'much better' than 2012 - Massa 25 Feb: Teams 'will adapt' to new tyre situation - Gutierrez 25 Feb: Tight rules make today's F1 cars 'the same' - Forghieri 25 Feb: Williams removes controversial exhaust trick 25 Feb: Contract 'conflicts' cause of Marussia test snub - Razia 25 Feb: Lotus to fight Red Bull for title - Gutierrez 25 Feb: Marussia 'ahead of Caterham' - Chilton 25 Feb: Sutil will not stay in F1 as test driver The latest F1 News - Mobile Version