Rubens Barrichello has told his Ferrari team bosses that he wants to know whether he will be kept on beyond the end of 2004 before the start of the new season.

In a move that looks set to kick off an early start to the 2005 driver market merry-go-round, the Brazilian has indicated that he wants a swift end to negotiations about a new contract so that he can attack next year with a clear head.

Barrichello has made it clear that he wants to extend his relationship with Ferrari beyond the end of his current deal, which finishes in 2004. This comes despite him being a contender for a switch to Williams-BMW as the replacement for Juan Pablo Montoya in 2005.

"About your future, you would always leave the door open," said Barrichello. "I have created for myself a situation everyone thought was impossible to have at Ferrari alongside Michael Schumacher. I have a very good situation. I have the same status as Michael and I am very happy here.

"We have to talk [about my future]. I've just come back from a two-month holiday and we are starting talks now. What I want is to get to the start of the championship, at the beginning of March, with my future sorted out."

Source: Autosport