Ex-Williams Formula 1 driver Sergey Sirotkin says he is aiming to return to F1 in the “medium-to-long term” future, but named the World Endurance Championship and Formula E as options.

Williams opted for an all-new driver line-up of Robert Kubica and George Russell for 2019, with Sirotkin’s backer Russian bank SMP claiming it pulled him from the team as it was considered to be underperforming.

Sirotkin is due to take part in WEC with SMP’s LMP1 team, starting with the 1000 Miles of Sebring, in 2019 while aiming at an F1 return.

“The main target which is probably more of a long-term target now is obviously to come back to the F1 grid,” he said.

“It’s still too early to say how easy or how possible that is to achieve but that’s the medium-to-long term target. Here for now all I know is I will have to do a few races in WEC in LMP1 with the SMP team, probably one which is next month already in the USA so I will have something to drive.

“Then depending on other opportunities and other possible races this probably can be shorter or wider or more diverse. I’m still in quite early points of discussions so it’s not like I know right here right now what I’m doing.”

Sirotkin will test for the Mahindra Formula E team on Sunday in the Marrakesh rookie test, having gotten a late call-up from the team, and pointed out FE as a potential option for the 2019/20 season.

“Just before the new year I got a sudden phone call from the team to take part, which was one of the interesting directions for me after F1 so I was happy to take it.”

“To be honest it’s my first day here where I’ve met the team and the people so I’m kind of trying to relate what exactly what the goals of the test are and what the team wants me to do.

“For the next few days it’s Formula E, which again will be interesting to see what it is because long-term it’s something interesting.”