Renault's current drivers have said that they are still in the dark as to whether they will be kept or dropped by the French works team for 2017.

However, the fact that Nico Hulkenberg has signed means that either Kevin Magnussen or Jolyon Palmer - or both - do not have a future in yellow.

Dane Magnussen revealed in Austin that he has other options.

"I'd rather stay with Renault, but the option I had has expired and it will not be extended [further]," he is quoted as saying by BT newspaper.

"I'm just waiting for Renault."

Magnussen's teammate Palmer indicated that the "pressure" of the situation is making it hard for both current Renault drivers.

"It's difficult with the pressure because we've got to show what we can do, to try and show the bosses," he said, according to The Guardian.

It is believed that Manor is an option for Palmer if he is let go, and Magnussen insisted that he also has some options.

"I have some other opportunities both inside and outside of Formula 1," he told Ekstra Bladet.

"For now the opportunities are there, but if it comes to it then I will have to take a decision myself. Fortunately we are not quite there yet."

Palmer said that he thinks Renault's decision will still take "weeks", but Magnussen said he cannot wait that long.

"I cannot risk finding myself with nothing," he said. "I can't be unemployed - I need to race something."

Magnussen played down any suggestion that he might switch to a backmarker like Manor, though.

"My condition to stay in F1 is that I feel like I'm on the way to becoming world champion. I don't want to be in Formula 1 just to be in Formula 1."

One rumour was that a top seat at Indycar is an option, but Magnussen promptly denied it.

"I Tweeted that because I am still here and there are many on the team who hope I stay. If they see that I am on the way to Indycar or something, it has a negative effect," he said.

"I've always been a big fan of Indycar. My father raced there and I'd like to one day, but not right now.

"I feel like I'm still on track with my goal to be world champion in Formula 1."

Magnussen and Palmer are 16th and 17th in the table respectively heading into the United States Grand Prix.