Sauber has announced that it will retain Kamui Kobayashi for the 2011 season.

In a brief statement issued this morning, the Swiss team revealed that the Japanese driver, who will celebrate his 24th birthday on Monday 13th September, and has collected 21 points so far this season and recorded a best race result of sixth at Silverstone, will stay with the team next season.

"We enjoy having our rookie as part of the team - both as a driver and a person," said Peter Sauber. "We never had any doubts about working with him again in 2011." And Sauber continues: "Kamui has definitely fulfilled our expectations in terms of his speed and fighting spirit. Plus, his work with the engineers and his technical understanding has also developed very well. The experience he has built up over his first full season in Formula One will certainly stand him in good stead for 2011. And our aim is to give him a fast and reliable car from the outset next season."

"We had a very difficult start to the season," admitted Kobayashi, "but we've worked together to pull ourselves out of that situation. I feel very much at home in Peter Sauber's team and am very pleased we'll be working together again in 2011. However, for now I'm focusing one-hundred per cent on this year. There are still six grand prix weekends to go in 2010, and we'll be hoping to make up more ground."

The team's said that its second driver for 2011 will be confirmed at a later date.