Klien talking to 3 F1 teams
The 26-year-old Austrian was BMW-Sauber's test driver for the past two seasons and had hoped to take the race seat alongside Kamui Kobayashi this year.
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| Christian Klien |
"At the end of the day the driver decision is up to the management and they have to take all factors into consideration," said Klien, after the Hinwil based team announced on Tuesday that Pedro de la Rosa would take the seat.
"I was well aware that my main rival for the seat was Pedro de la Rosa. In my view, the fact that the decision was taken so late shows that it was not an easy one for Peter Sauber," he added.
There are still race seats open at Renault, Toro Rosso, Campos and USF1, and Klien insists he still has a chance to re-start his grand prix career in 2010.
"I have been approached by several teams throughout the 2009 season. With two of those teams I am currently in serious negotiations," he said, without naming them.
If those negotiations fail, Klien – who raced 48 times for Jaguar and Red Bull until 2006 – said he would consider a fourth consecutive season as a reserve driver.
"The clear goal is to race," he said. "With all the test restrictions, the job of a test pilot is not as attractive as it was some time ago. Still, you have to weigh this option carefully.
"Last season, no fewer than five reserve drivers were called upon to replace a racing driver."
10/14/09 (GMM) Christian Klien announced on Wednesday that he is in talks with three teams about returning to the formula one race grid in 2010.
The Austrian 26-year-old is currently BMW-Sauber's reserve driver, and a vacancy at the team has just opened up, with Robert Kubica set to move to Renault.
The Hinwil based team has however been bought by Qadbak in the wake of BMW's decision to withdraw from F1, and presently does not have a guaranteed entry for next season.
Asked whether Sauber is among his three options, Klien told his website: "I have a contract with the team and we have worked together very well over the past two years.
"Like I already said when the team was sold by BMW, the successor team is a logical and desirable option for me," he added.
Klien confirmed that "permanent discussions" with two other teams are also taking place, and that the unnamed outfits are "seriously interested" in giving him a race seat.
"It is way to early to talk about any details," he added. "I am thinking mid to long term. A good future perspective is more important to me than a quick contract which might lead into a dead end street soon."
Klien, with 48 grand prix starts under his belt but none since 2006, said he is in no rush to finalize a deal, but believes Kimi Raikkonen's decision about 2010 will trigger the next pieces of the driver market to fall into place.