Williams in Talks with Dixon

New Zealand's Indy Racing League (IRL) champion Scott Dixon could be on Williams's radar as the Formula One team consider candidates to replace Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya.

Team boss Frank Williams confirmed there had been contact with the 23-year-old driver but said that any speculation was "very premature."

"We were in touch with him, had the odd conversation although in fact I can truthfully say that I haven't had any conversation with him myself," he told Reuters at the Australian Grand Prix.

"We've obviously got to fill Juan's place and we look at every single name who's possible. It could be 50 names."

Media speculation is rife about who could replace Montoya, and possibly team mate Ralf Schumacher as well, at Williams next year with the main attention focused on Jaguar's Australian Mark Webber and Briton Jenson Button.

David Coulthard, the Scot whose place will be taken by Montoya at McLaren, told reporters this week that he would love to return to Williams while Sauber's Italian Giancarlo Fisichella is also eager to join a top team.

Although Dixon drives for Chip Ganassi, whose team has close ties to Williams, the British boss said that was "pure coincidence."

Montoya was a Williams test driver before he moved to America and won the 1999 CART title and 2000 Indianapolis 500 with Ganassi's team.

Ganassi also signed Williams test driver Bruno Junqueira after the Brazilian lost out to Button in a 2000 shoot-out for a race seat with Williams.

Dixon's mother Glenys told a New Zealand newspaper last week that talks with a leading team were going well and it was "looking pretty good" for a deal in the next two months.

"It's up to the team to make the announcement but there might be a few bits and pieces coming out in the near future," she told the Dominion Post.

"The team has kept in touch and Scott has been pleased with the progress made," she added.

The newspaper said Dixon visited world champions Ferrari, Williams and McLaren last year as well as Toyota, whose engines powered his winning IRL car.

The last New Zealander to race in Formula One was Mike Thackwell, who qualified only for two Grands Prix and last raced in 1984.

New Zealand's other greats were the late McLaren founder Bruce McLaren and 1967 World Champion Denny Hulme.