Oct.12 (GMM) Vitaly Petrov has hit back at reports he will definitely slide out of Formula One at the end of the season.

Vitaly Petrov, Caterham on the grid Photo by: xpb.cc

Previously boosted by his Russian supporters, Petrov's manager Oksana Kosachenko suggested recently that she was looking at alternative projects for 2013 because the 28-year-old driver's financial backing had dried up.

But Petrov has suggested in Korea that Kosachenko was simply laying out their strategy to stay in Formula One next year.

"We decided to talk about it now, not at the end of the year or at the last race," the Caterham and former Renault driver is quoted by Germany's motorsport-magazin.com.

Petrov said it is a different situation for other so-called pay-drivers "such as (those) from Mexico and Spain", who are able to "choose the team" they drive for.

He said staying at Caterham in 2013 remains a possibility.

"They want to keep us here, my management and the team are still in negotiations on the contract for next year, so everything is still open," said Petrov.