Sauber stands by Villeneuve decision.

Peter Sauber has refuted suggestions that he may have made a mistake signing Jacques Villeneuve for next season, after the Canadian made a low-key return to Formula One at the Chinese Grand Prix.

Sauber reacted with a mixture of annoyance and bemusement when confronted by a question querying his choice during Friday's press conference at a soaking wet Suzuka, and insisted that Villeneuve's return - with Renault - in Shanghai had little bearing on his decision to sign the 1997 world champion for 2005.

"It is nothing to do with Shanghai," he said, reflecting on Villeneuve's eleventh place finish, "I still think it was the right decision to drive with him - for him and for us too."

Undeterred, the interviewer proceeded along his chosen path, pondering why Sauber had continued to run F3000 champion Vitantonio Liuzzi the day after Villeneuve's deal was revealed. Liuzzi had been strongly tipped to take the second Sauber seat, aided in part by common Red Bull backing, but now faces a season on the sidelines after the Swiss team confirmed JV alongside Felipe Massa.

"We promised Liuzzi that he could do a test after a successful F3000 season and I think it was okay to do it," Sauber insisted, "It was nice for him to drive for one day in a Formula One car. On the other hand, it was very difficult [for him] to show his talent with only one day of testing. But I think, overall, the test was very good."

Villeneuve joins Sauber after the end of the 2004 campaign, which will see him complete the season in the second Renault R24.