Michael puts Webber in box seat

New Williams technical director Sam Michael has confirmed Mark Webber is favourite to secure a drive with the team from 2005.

Williams are looking for at least one driver, with Juan Pablo Montoya joining McLaren, while it is anticipated Ralf Schumacher is to leave, with Toyota the likely destination.

Understandably, a number of drivers have been linked with the Grove marque, however, Michael has now publicly confirmed Jaguar star Webber is the likely choice.

When asked whether the Australian, who is contracted to Jaguar until the end of 2005, was favourite, he replied: “Yes.”

Michael then added: “We have a long list of drivers, a growing list, and Mark is one of the guys on that list, obviously.

“He has the right mentality, has an aggressive attitude in a positive sense and is a good team player.

“He has also been successful, very fast and talented with any car he has driven from sports cars to Formula Ford and now Formula One.

“For the majority of the time he has outperformed his team-mates, so he looks like a positive step.”

Jacques Villeneuve has also been linked with a return to Williams, the team who made him world champion in 1997.

Villeneuve has been an interested spectator this season following his departure from BAR at the end of last year, but recently revealed he is ready to come back.

Team boss Sir Frank Williams, along with Michael and director of engineering Patrick Head, recently met Villeneuve to discuss the possibility of a return and the French-Canadian could test later this year.

“We had a meeting with Jacques to get his latest position on what he wanted out of Formula One and whether he could fit into our future plans,” added Michael.

“At the moment we are still reviewing our drivers for 2005.

“There’s nothing guaranteed, but we might consider a test later in the year, although there’s nothing agreed yet.

“There’s a lot of things going on in the driver market, so it’s a bit premature to say he will test.

“Frank and Patrick know Jacques very well, but I don’t, so when I met him it was to judge his passion in Formula One and how he can contribute to us.

“He wants to do the job and seemed committed. He wants to prove he is not over the hill and he has a good mentality. He is a determined individual, he has kept himself very fit, so there were positives.”

Williams, meanwhile, added: “We are interested in his services, but it is a long process.

“But Jacques brings with him a lot of experience. He knows the Honda engine [with BAR] and the Bridgestone tyres, and although that does not affect our choice, if he joined us it would help us.

“But the first thing to do is to test him and evaluate him. If we go ahead with Jacques it would be in August or at the start of September.

“We have plenty of time to negotiate with Jacques and we will not rush the process before August.”