Narain Karthikeyan says being a second test driver may not give him the visibility that he would have got while driving on 19 race weekends, but working with a top team is bound to pay in the long run in Formula One.
Karthikeyan impressed Williams F1 during pre-season testings in December, and although he was involved in negotiations with Super Aguri F1, a new Japanese team with F1 aspiration, India's first F1 driver chose to go with nine-time champions.
The 29-year old Coimbatore resident, whose F1 career seemed to have run into desert sand when his former team Jordan, now known as Midlands F1, decided not to renew his contract, said it was a career decision to join Williams and he was happy with it.
"Sure I wanted to race, that is what every driver wants to do. But there are limited opportunities in Formula One and to get a step up somewhere is difficult.
"Thankfully I have got that first step with Williams. In the short term it might not look good, but it is definitely going to benefit me in the long term. I had to think in terms of my career," Karthikeyan said.