Villeneuve Aims to Make Amends

"I look forward to making up for the bad race in Monaco," the Canadian told his website.

"We are a third of the way through the season already and I think we now have a good working pace with the team so we must be able to build on this."

Peter Sauber described his drivers' performance in Monaco as "the most depressing thing that a team can experience" after Villeneuve tried to overtake Brazilian teammate Felipe Massa and instead took them both out of the points.

They were running sixth and seventh at the time.

Both Villeneuve and Massa were summoned to the team's Hinwil factory to discuss what happened.

"I have told both drivers that I don't want to discuss this issue with them in the paddock, because there are too many emotions at the surface at the moment," said Sauber after the race.

"So we will meet in Hinwil this week to discuss the situation. They don't normally come to the factory after the races but this was a very serious situation and we have to speak together."

A team spokesman said there would be no further comment from Sauber about the incident and would not confirm whether the meeting had happened. "It's a family affair and has to be discussed within the family," he added.

Villeneuve said he had spoken to Massa after the race and explained what had happened.

"He completely understood and confirmed to me that his tyres could not hold the same pace as mine at this point," said the Canadian, who had tried to go past Massa at Ste Devote but braked too late and forced the Brazilian down an escape road.

Villeneuve, who damaged his front wing when he hit the barriers and had to pit for a replacement, acknowledged that his manoeuvre had been 'misjudged'.