Former Subaru factory driver Xavier Pons is to make a return to the World Rally Championship for the 2010 season.

Pons, who also drove for Citroen, will drive a new Ford Fiesta S2000 in the new WRC Cup for a team headed by fellow Spaniard Luis Moya.

The team will also run the Fiesta S2000 and the Fiesta R2 in the Spanish national championship.

“We expect to make a formal announcement soon, but for now I can confirm that Xevi will do seven WRC events next year in the Fiesta S2000,” Moya told the official WRC website. “His first event will be Mexico and he will definitely do the rallies in Jordan and New Zealand. We'll announce more details later on.”

Pons becomes the second former works driver to confirmed for the new WRC Cup, with ex-Ford and Skoda man Janne Tuohino also signing up to compete in a new Fiesta.

The 34-year-old will start his campaign in Sweden and will also do the events in Jordan, Portugal, Finland and Wales, with the remainder of his programme to be determined.

“It was the best choice for me when considering the seats available in the 2011 season,” he said. “I have lots of motivation with the brand new Fiesta S2000 which is arriving in Finland in early January. Immediately I'll start test and development work for the World Rally Championship series which starts in February.”