Trulli reminds Toyota he has other options

Jarno Trulli has warned Toyota that a rival Formula One team is interested in him for 2007.

The Italian, whose contract expires at the end of the season, said at a pre-season event in northern France that he hoped to stay but could not wait indefinitely for confirmation even if time was not an issue yet.

"Me and Toyota, we are focused on the 2006 season and we are not in a hurry to renew the contract. We are talking," he told reporters.

"I have other options, this is very clear. The only thing is that in case Toyota does not want to continue, I don't want to lose the other good option.

"I hope and believe that if we show good performance, we can carry on together. For sure I don't want to announce it in September and I would like to do it a bit earlier, especially when you have other options."

Trulli joined Toyota in late 2004 after winning the Monaco Grand Prix for Renault and then falling out with team boss Flavio Briatore.

Last year the 31-year-old handed Toyota their first podium and first pole position.

Only a handful of drivers have contracts for 2007 and beyond, Trulli's team-mate Ralf Schumacher being one of them.

Trulli's position at Toyota has moved into the spotlight since Renault's Spanish world champion Fernando Alonso signed to join McLaren in 2007.

McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen, winner of seven races last year and twice a championship runner-up, is also out of contract at the end of the year and has been linked to Toyota as well as Ferrari.