Heikki Kovalainen has admitted he finds his career in a "bad gap".
The Finn began the season as Caterham’s highly-respected number 1 driver.
"The papers (for 2013) were almost ready for the signatures," he told the MTV3 broadcaster.
But Caterham has since fallen behind Marussia in the lucrative constructors’ championship, which could cost the Tony Fernandes-owned team millions in Concorde Agreement prize money.
"The situation has changed," Kovalainen acknowledged. "Then, when it (the 2013 deal) didn’t happen, some of the other teams with whom we had spoken were already locked out.
"It has left me in a bad gap at the moment," he said.
Caterham is therefore considering pairing a couple of ’pay-drivers’ next year, and Kovalainen said he is in no mind to start chasing potential sponsors.
"In the situation I’m in, I can’t do any more. It’s now up to the team to decide what they want to do," he said.