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Button most likely replacement for Montoya in Williams
London, Feb 13: Williams are considering Jenson Button as a replacement for Juan Pablo Montoya in 2005, BBC Sport has learned.
London, Feb 13: Williams are considering Jenson Button as a replacement for Juan Pablo Montoya in 2005, BBC Sport has learned.
Button's representatives have held initial talks with Williams, but the Englishman is one of several drivers under consideration, sources say. Others include Sauber's Giancarlo Fisichella and Jaguar's Mark Webber.
Williams boss Sir Frank Williams said: "Jenson is obviously a very fine driver but I wouldn't admit to talks if I'd had them."
The team's technical director Patrick Head said: "I've never been in any doubt that Jenson has all the attributes to be a champion.
"As [BAR boss] David Richards has been very firm in saying, he has a fairly strong connection by contract with BAR.
"Drivers want a competitive car and the money they would like. If he gets that at BAR, he would probably have little reason for leaving.
"But we would certainly regard him as very high on the list of contenders if he was available."
Head described Fisichella as "clearly a very talented driver", and said of Webber: "He is a driver who has a contract with another team which has clauses within it that have to be satisfied in terms of performance, championship position and so on.
"We will have to see if those are met.
"He's obviously an extremely capable driver. If he were to be available, he's obviously a candidate."
Williams gave Button his break in Formula One, but he was dropped in favour of Montoya at the end of his debut season.
Webber is managed by Flavio Briatore, team boss of Renault, who is thought to be keen on taking the Australian to Renault in 2005.
Fisichella is under contract to Sauber for 2005, but team owner Peter Sauber has said he would not stand in his way if a top team offered him a drive.
BBC Sport understands that some Williams insiders are questioning why the team would want Button rather than Fisichella when the Italian outqualified him 13-four and comprehensively out-raced him when they were team-mates at Renault in 2001.
Bureau Report
Button's representatives have held initial talks with Williams, but the Englishman is one of several drivers under consideration, sources say. Others include Sauber's Giancarlo Fisichella and Jaguar's Mark Webber.
Williams boss Sir Frank Williams said: "Jenson is obviously a very fine driver but I wouldn't admit to talks if I'd had them."
The team's technical director Patrick Head said: "I've never been in any doubt that Jenson has all the attributes to be a champion.
"As [BAR boss] David Richards has been very firm in saying, he has a fairly strong connection by contract with BAR.
"Drivers want a competitive car and the money they would like. If he gets that at BAR, he would probably have little reason for leaving.
"But we would certainly regard him as very high on the list of contenders if he was available."
Head described Fisichella as "clearly a very talented driver", and said of Webber: "He is a driver who has a contract with another team which has clauses within it that have to be satisfied in terms of performance, championship position and so on.
"We will have to see if those are met.
"He's obviously an extremely capable driver. If he were to be available, he's obviously a candidate."
Williams gave Button his break in Formula One, but he was dropped in favour of Montoya at the end of his debut season.
Webber is managed by Flavio Briatore, team boss of Renault, who is thought to be keen on taking the Australian to Renault in 2005.
Fisichella is under contract to Sauber for 2005, but team owner Peter Sauber has said he would not stand in his way if a top team offered him a drive.
BBC Sport understands that some Williams insiders are questioning why the team would want Button rather than Fisichella when the Italian outqualified him 13-four and comprehensively out-raced him when they were team-mates at Renault in 2001.
Bureau Report