Suzuki says Montagny could stay on

The Frenchman has been drafted in to replace Yuji Ide, whose superlicense has been withdrawn, and speculation had suggested that he was unlikely to remain at the outfit for the long-term because Aguri wanted an all-Japanese driver line-up.

But team boss Aguri Suzuki has made it clear that Montagny could continue with the outfit for the rest of the year and has denied any talk that he needs to run two Japanese drivers.

"I have never said that we want an all-Japanese driver-line," he told autosport.com. "I am sure my team is a Japanese team, but it is not necessary to have two Japanese drivers.

"If there is a good Japanese driver then I can give him a chance, but if not then it is a different story."

Suzuki said that he would wait until after the Monaco Grand Prix later this month to make a decision about whether Montagny would continue with the team.

"We decided just before the Nurburgring to take Franck, but now we have more time to decide in the future. Anyway, he drives in Monaco also and then we have two or three weeks to decide.

"We will have some more discussions with Montagny and other drivers, but I am quite happy using him. He is good."

When asked whether Montagny had a good chance of staying on, Suzuki said: "Yes, depending on his performance. At the Nurburgring he did a very good job, he gave backs lot of information on the car.

"He has a lot of experience from being a Renault driver and he is very good. He hadn't driven our car before the Friday of the Nurburgring and he was immediately on the pace."

Suzuki added that the team were also considering running a third car from the Monaco Grand Prix.

"It is possible, yes, for Monaco or Silverstone. We are speaking to some drivers."

The team's new car, the SA06, is still scheduled to make its debut at the French Grand Prix.