Sauber turned down Coulthard offer

[davewilson]

Former team owner Peter Sauber has revealed Scot David Coulthard offered himself to drive for the Sauber team back in 2005.

Sauber instead opted for Canadian Jacques Villeneuve, a decision he says he would not make again.

Sauber signed Villeneuve to partner Felipe Massa in 2005, but the Canadian struggled to match the Brazilian's pace.

When Sauber sold his team to BMW, former world champion Villeneuve stayed on for another season, but the relationship turned sour and Villeneuve left the team before the end of 2006.

"Failure's the wrong word. But I probably wouldn't do it again," Sauber told Credit Suise's emagazine about Villeneuve's signing.

"With hindsight, obviously, that's easy to say," Sauber added.

"At the time, there were no suitable alternatives on the market for that price. David Coulthard also offered his services; he was a driver who'd for years been the number two with McLaren, and that weighed heavily with him.

"You're reluctant to take on someone like that, even though at a personal level I've always found Coulthard very likeable.

"(Olivier) Panis, who was at the end of his career, wasn't an alternative either. Putting a second youngster in the cockpit next to Massa would have been a highly debatable thing to do."


The Stig