Todt denies Montoya rumours

Ferrari's sporting director Jean Todt has denied that the Prancing Horse has been in contact with Williams-BMW star Juan Pablo Montoya over a future seat, but has revealed that his team rates the Colombian highly

Montoya was linked with a move to Ferrari earlier this week as a long-term replacement for Michael Schumacher. The Italians were said to be chasing his services for 2003 as a team-mate to the German four-time World Champion, before taking over his mantle as team leader when Schumacher retires.

"We think Montoya is a good driver," said Todt. "His first year in Formula 1, at the wheel of a competitive Williams car, was a positive one.

"However, Ferrari has never had any contact with him, either directly or indirectly. We do not wish to give any credence to those who might have an interest in promoting these rumours," he added.

Montoya's manager, Julian Jakobi, also dismissed the story, saying that Montoya is committed to Williams.

One train of thought is that the story was created to give Montoya some leverage in upping his salary to a similar level of team-mate Ralf Schumacher.

Montoya is understood to be on a fraction of Schumacher's wages at Williams, who is believed to earn at least eight million pounds to Montoya's one million.