Christian Klien is not keen on spending another season as a mere Honda test driver.
The Austrian, however, after racing for Jaguar and Red Bull between 2004 and last year, admitted that his chances to return to the formula one grid any time soon are not bright.
“It is really hard to have to just sit and watch,” Klien, who nearly landed the Spyker race seat recently before Sakon Yamamoto was appointed, is quoted on Saturday as saying by motorline.cc.
He accepted the Honda test seat this year as a route back to racing, and insists: “I am not sure if I would want to do another year such as this.”
Many test drivers have bemoaned the test agreement this year, where private mileage is limited and restricted, while the absence of a third car rule for Fridays means that non-race drivers are also rarely used at grands prix.
Klien admitted that Honda have an option on him for next season, but he said it is “too early” to speculate about his role for the future.
Spare race seats elsewhere on the grid are also a scarcity.
Klien, though, would not rule out continuing links with Spyker, even with the Silverstone based team’s new Indian ownership, but he said Super Aguri and Prodrive are unlikely options.
“With Super Aguri you would probably have to bring a sponsor on board,” he explained, “and Prodrive will probably go with the McLaren test drivers.”
He said he would be reluctant, however, to leave the F1 paddock altogether, such as to explore options in the American Champ Car series.
“The problem,” Klien explained, “is that if he take your feet out of the formula one door, it is not so easy to get them back in again.
“So we are trying everything to stay in F1.”
