McLaren target Montoya say BBC

SCOTSMAN David Coulthard’s mixed spell at the McLaren Formula One team could be drawing to a close as they have targeted Colombian driver Juan Pablo Montoya, it was revealed by the BBC on Monday.

While Williams still have the 27-year-old under contract for one more season, it is believed by the BBC that McLaren will make a serious bid to lure him away when it is up.

While McLaren have yet to confirm Coulthard as their second driver for next season, alongside championship contender Kimi Raikkonen, it is thought unlikely that Frank Williams would allow Montoya to go before his contract ends.

Montoya, who has two victories to his name since he made his debut in 2001 including this season’s Monaco Grand Prix, and was third in the drivers standings last year, has been keen to see his salary increased as he is paid a lot less than German team-mate Ralf Schumacher by Williams. A source close to Williams told the BBC it was “highly unlikely” Montoya would leave at the end of this year.

McLaren could face a battle with Toyota, who have also expressed an interest in signing Montoya when he becomes available. While McLaren chief Ron Dennis is good friends with fellow team owner Frank Williams, it has not stopped him from taking his rival’s prime sources of income before.

In the 1980s, he lured one of Williams’ biggest sponsors, the TAG Group, and a few years later persuaded engine supplier Honda to jump ship, leaving Williams struggling with customer engines for a season.

However, McLaren refused to comment publicly on the speculation surrounding their drivers line-up.

“There is a lot of speculation about drivers in F1 and we are not in the business of commenting on it,” said managing director Martin Whitmarsh.

“When, or if, there’s anything to say, we’ll say it”.

Meanwhile Eddie Jordan is set to visit Shanghai later this month to help launch his team’s new website specifically designed for the Chinese market.

Formula One enjoys great popularity in the Far East, with some 940 million viewers estimated to have watched the 2003 season on China’s state network and an inaugural Chinese Grand Prix scheduled for the Shanghai International Circuit next year. Shanghai-based Riverstone Internet Technologies will host the Chinese language site, www.f1jordan.cn, which was launched to a delegation of Chinese media during the run-up to the British Grand Prix.

Jordan will visit the city and it’s racetrack on July 29-30, becoming the first team principal to go to Shanghai.