The BMW Sauber team will test former Formula BMW drivers Alexander Rossi and Esteban Gutierrez in December, the F1 team has confirmed.

Despite having announced it will leave Formula 1 at the end of the season, BMW confirmed on Friday that it will honour its commitments to the two drivers.

American Rossi earned his chance to drive F1 machinery after winning the Formula BMW World Final last year.

Mexican Gutierrez won the Formula BMW Europe title last season and is now racing for ART Grand Prix in the F3 Euro Series.

"Despite having announced our exit from Formula 1 this week, we will honour our commitments to young drivers in Formula BMW," said BMW Motorsport director Mario Theissen.

"Thus we are looking forward to granting another two Formula BMW graduates the opportunity of gathering experience in a Formula 1 car."