Bruno Senna has suggested he preferred to bow out of formula one than run around at the back of the grid with Caterham or Marussia.
Dropped by Williams after a single season together in 2013, the former Lotus and HRT driver announced this month that he has been signed up by Aston Martin’s Le Mans sports car team.
"I want to make progress, not go back in my career, so it would not be easy to go to a smaller team like Caterham and Marussia," the 29-year-old Brazilian told Radio Bandeirantes.
"Last year was a year of learning, and that would have been the basis to progress, and with those teams (Caterham and Marussia) I would not have had that opportunity.
"At Force India and Williams the possibilities were becoming increasingly complicated, so we decided to look for another winning programme.
"I’m not in formula one to play a supporting role, in my career I always had wins and podiums, and that is what I like to do," Senna, whose uncle was the great Ayrton Senna, continued.
He confirmed that his Brazilian backers did make proposals for 2013 to Caterham and Marussia, but not for as much money as they would offer to bigger teams.
"We sent a proposal but, of course, with a lower value than a top team, because my supporters are serious and the image (for the sponsors) is not the same no matter the team," Senna said.