Pizzonia considers US move

Although Pizzonia has a contract to be Williams' official test and reserve driver this season, sources have told autosport.com that Pizzonia is currently evaluating his options and working out what will provide him with his best chance of making the jump to F1 in 2006.

Pizzonia's manager Jaime Brito is understood to have travelled to the United States last weekend to conduct an evaluation of options and consider whether his driver has the chance of making a major impact in the Champ Car World Series if he commits.

Speaking to autosport.com about Pizzonia's future plans, Brito said: "We are assessing the position. If an opportunity comes up to go racing then we will go racing. The priority will be racing."

Although Pizzonia has a firm contract with Williams for this year, it is believed that team boss Frank Williams will not stand in the way of the Brazilian going elsewhere if he had the possibility of a race drive.

Despite expressing an interest in the United States, however, Pizzonia may ultimately feel that his F1 chances may be better served by staying with Williams.

There are suggestions that Heidfeld only has a race-by-race guarantee of a seat, meaning he will have to perform to stay on as Mark Webber's team-mate, and that means Pizzonia would be better placed to grab the race seat if he remains committed to the Williams cause.