Team boss Ganassi (left) wants Montoya to start soon

He is being lined up to compete in Nascar's second-tier Busch Series next month after being released by McLaren.

"We hope we can get something going on by the middle of August," said Ganassi team boss Chip Ganassi.

"When we get the details of his release we will be all over every chance we get to put him in good cars in circuits he needs to see."

Montoya is expected to learn the basis of stock car racing in the Busch Series, before stepping up to the senior Nextel Cup, and admitted he would have to bide his time and not disturb the team's existing set-up.

"It's a new world for me, and they know it and I don't," he said. "You cannot damage their programmes for this year because I got released a little early."

Former F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve has saluted Montoya's decision to switch to Nascar as "ballsy and gutsy".

When asked if he would be missed, the BMW Sauber driver said: "It depends on who replaces him, which means probably.