Nico Rosberg has joined Robert Kubica's management team as the Pole seeks to secure a return to Formula One.

Kubica's last F1 outing came in November 2010, three months before suffering life-threatening injuries in a rally crash, but the 32-year-old has been back on the scene this year thanks to a couple of tests with Renault.

It was thought Renault were considering the possibility of bringing Kubica back for 2018, but the team announced on Friday that Carlos Sainz Jr would link up with Nico Hulkenberg for next season.

Kubica has subsequently been linked with Williams, and Rosberg - who claimed his maiden world championship last year before announcing his shock retirement - is looking forward to reuniting with his old rival.

"Excited to be working with Robert and his return to F1. He and Lewis were the fastest I raced against," Rosberg said on Twitter.

Renault's new man Sainz will replace Jolyon Palmer, who claimed he only heard about the team's decision to drop him by reading about it online.

"I knew when I read it on Autosport, and then I knew it was true as well, I spoke to some people. That was it," said Palmer, who has claimed just one point from 32 F1 starts at Renault.

"It was a bit of a shame. I don't even know who leaked it to the media, but the media have their ways, I know.

"It doesn't change the outcome, to be honest."