Motor racing-De la Rosa needs money to get Campos F1 drive

By Alan Baldwin

LONDON, Nov 11 (Reuters) - Lack of money looks likely to thwart Spaniard Pedro de la Rosa's hopes of returning to grand prix racing next year, according to new F1 team boss and compatriot Adrian Campos.

Campos has already signed Brazilian rookie Bruno Senna, nephew of the late triple world champion Ayrton, for his Campos Meta team who are due to make their debut next season.

McLaren reserve driver De la Rosa, who will be 39 in February, had been tipped to take the other seat but Campos indicated those hopes were fading.

"I would like Pedro de la Rosa but he is Spanish and Spanish sponsors are in a bad way," the sports daily Marca (www.marca.com) quoted him as saying at a news conference in Murcia to present Senna.

"There are other options from Russia and Venezuela but it all depends on the sponsor."

Team president Jose Ramon Carabante agreed that De la Rosa's situation was difficult.

"Everyone asks me about De la Rosa but it all depends on the backing we can get. The situation is complicated in Spain. There is also Maldonado and the Russian kid," he told the as.com website.

Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado, 24, and Russian Vitaly Petrov, 25, both competed in the GP2 support series this year and have solid backers.