Montoya: I know nothing of Ferrari deal.

Monaco Grand Prix winner Juan Pablo Montoya has denied having signed, considered or even having talked about a possible deal to join world champions Ferrari in the future.

Asked about the possibility of joining the Scuderia when current team leader Michael Schumacher opts to retire, the Colombian admitted that the first he had heard of the rumour was when a friend told him to check the morning newspapers on race day in the Principality.

"Someone told me to look at the Gazzetta dello Sport and see what was in there - and I had a look and I couldn't believe it," he told the post-race press conference on Sunday, "There is no talk for the moment - to be honest, there is nothing at all."

According to the Italian sports journal, Ferrari had already identified Montoya as the man to replace five-times Schumacher, should the German retire as rumoured in 2005 - although the story went on to admit that neither the team nor Schumacher had confirmed the end of his career at that point.

Colombian Montoya has been coveted by the Maranello concern ever since he arrived in Formula One with Williams-BMW in 2001, but insists that no direct approach has been made for his services in that time. However, it is a well-known fact that his contract with the Grove team runs out at the same time as Schumacher's with Ferrari.