Montoya gets Villeneuve stamp of approval

But he warned the Colombian will have to stick to his guns if he wants to earn the team's respect.

"It's a very good team to start with," said Villeneuve. "It's a strong team with a lot of experience.

"It has won many, many races and championships and Frank Williams and Patrick Head are racers at heart. They live to get results. They live to race.

"You just to need to know what you want and stick to your principles and make sure that there is good enough respect from the team.

"But Juan Pablo has already worked with the team in '98 as a test driver anyway, so he's quite comfortable with them."

Montoya is following in Villeneuve's footsteps. The Canadian signed for Williams four years ago after winning the CART title and Indy 500 crown.

BAR boss Craig Pollock, who orchestrated Villeneuve's move to Williams in '96, warned Montoya will need good results from the start to secure the British-based team's support.

"I think it's an excellent move and I'd agree with Jacques that Williams is a fantastic team for a young driver like that to go into," Pollock says.

"Jacques managed it in the past and he gained respect by getting results early. I think early results for Juan Pablo would certainly help."