Williams Turned Down McLaren Offer for Montoya

Team principal Frank Williams has revealed rivals McLaren offered him a fee and David Coulthard's services to let Juan Pablo Montoya drive for them in 2004.

The Colombian driver has a contract with McLaren for the 2005 season, but he said he is committed to Williams in 2004. Williams revealed McLaren's team principal Ron Dennis had made him an offer to transfer Montoya a year earlier, but Williams admitted he never considered the offer.

"There was never a chance we would let him go early. Juan's a winner. Why would we want to oblige Ron, to take David Coulthard? Out of the question. Ron asked if I would be interested in letting Juan go for a fee. Money was not the issue. Winning is," Williams said in an interview with the Daily Telegraph.

"He is a great driver and he could yet win the World Championship with us. You must remember that when he gets in a racing car Juan can't help himself. He is a natural killer in a car. There are also very few seasons that racing drivers can afford to throw away, especially when they are getting close to winning a world title. You can't waste a season through pique or bad temper.

"Where we might get aggravation is with his peripheral duties, sponsors and so on. And we will limit the amount of information we will give him regarding the 2005 car. He won't be privy to all of the discussions that go on."

Montoya finished in third place in last year's Drivers' Championship, having won two races.