BMW were happy with Villeneuve's pace
BMW motorsport director Mario Theissen has insisted that Jacques Villeneuve's Formula One departure had nothing to do with the team feeling he was underperforming as a driver
Villeneuve and BMW-Sauber parted company following the Hungarian Grand Prix, after the Canadian had been stood down for one race in favour of Robert Kubica.
Although there have been suggestions that the relationship between team and driver deteriorated after a poor showing in the German Grand Prix, Theissen claims that matters reached a head purely because he wanted to give Kubica a try out.
"There has been a lot in the press that is just not true," said Theissen. "I said all the time that he was with the team that we were happy with his performance.
"We always had a good relationship and we have supported Jacques, but it was clear to us at the same time that we had to take a decision for the future. And when the situation arose in Hockenheim we decided to take this opportunity to look at the future.
"The consequence then was that we had a discussion at the race weekend in Budapest with Jacques and he finally said that he was not happy with the situation. I could not give him any guarantee about the future so we decided to split immediately.
"There was nothing before, and nothing about performance and nothing about communication to the public - that is all wrong."
Theissen has said he has been impressed with Kubica's performances so far this season, but has drawn short of confirming that the Pole is clear favourite to line up as Nick Heidfeld's teammate in 2007.
When asked what he needed to do to be retained by the team, Theissen said: "To drive every time at that pace (he showed in Hungary). I think we will make a decision by the end of the season, sometime around there."
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