Rubens Barrichello has shrugged off the impact on his own future of Kimi Raikkonen's return to the F1 grid for 2012, insisting that he was always only focused on staying with the Williams team, rather than moving elsewhere.
Barrichello is fighting over a dwindling number of seats on the 2012 grid, with Raikkonen's move locking down another seat for next season.
The Brazilian had been tentatively linked with a switch to Renault as a stand-in for Robert Kubica should he lose his drive at Williams.
But despite Raikkonen's move, Barrichello has said that he had always believed his "best chance" of staying in F1 for a 20th season was with Williams.
"I am not reading anything this week since there's so much gossip," he was quoted as saying by Globo in Brazil, "My wife called me to say 'Just so you know, Kimi has signed [for Renault]."
He went on: "I think it caught many people by surprise and me as well, but I have always said that my best chance is Williams. So my situation remains the same."
Barrichello's chances of staying in the sport may have actually been boosted by the Raikkonen move, given that the Finn had also been linked with Williams.
However, other drivers remain in the frame, including the team's reserve driver and the 2011 GP3 Series champion Valtteri Bottas.
And this week, the Finn suggested that there was still a chance he would receive a call from the team for 2012, after impressing in the recent Young Driver Test in Abu Dhabi.
"I think the team wanted to see what I could really do on the track," he told the Turun Sanomat publication regarding the test, "I don't know whether they were looking for next year, or for the year after."
He went on: "It was really interesting to find out about the car and important for myself too and I noticed that I could do it quite well.
"If the call comes [for 2012] or not, I really cannot say."
Barrichello's drive is also under threat from Adrian Sutil, who is expected to be let go by Force India for 2012 and has been linked to the Williams team.
With Raikkonen having signed for Renault, the only other feasibly open seat for 2012 is the second spot alongside Pedro de la Rosa at HRT, though that team are thought to be seeking a young Spanish driver.
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