Nov.29 (GMM) Johnny Herbert has expressed his surprise at HRT's decision to sign Pedro de la Rosa for the next two seasons.

Having made his grand prix debut in 1999, racing with Arrows, Jaguar and Sauber and serving as McLaren's long-term main test driver, the Spaniard de la Rosa is hugely experienced.

But, while his experience and nationality suits HRT, he is also forty years old and yet signed amid a flooded driver market.

"While he will bring experience to the team, I think that could have been used in different areas," Briton Herbert, whose 165 grand prix-career spanned 11 seasons, wrote in his column for The National.

"I personally would have preferred to see them getting a young, hard charger in, someone with something to prove and who will be hungry to impress and show what he can do."

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