04/01/2005
NEWS STORY
Christian Klien has told Austrian broadcaster ORF that he has been offered a contract with Red Bull for 2005.
Having already signed David Coulthard, there is much speculation as to who will drive the second car for the Austrian drinks company, with Klien in competition with reigning F3000 champion Vitantonio Liuzzi.
There has been talk of the drivers sharing the second car, though it's believed that neither driver is particularly impressed with this arrangement. Certainly, having taken part in all 18 races in 2004 - for Jaguar Racing - Klien would be ineligible for the Friday test sessions.
Klien is not claiming to have a race contract for 2005, but merely says he has been given a "formal offer", which he and his management are currently studying.
It's understood that behind the scenes there have been a number of arguments between certain factions involved in Red Bull Racing's management, with team 'boss' Helmut Marko apparently putting pressure on Dietrich Mateschitz in Austria and Tony Purnell pulling strings from the UK.