26/07/2005
NEWS STORY
Despite reports elsewhere that WilliamsF1 is set to make an announcement regarding its engine supplier within days, our sources at Grove insist that the team is "sticking to its timetable of 4-6 weeks prior to announcement".
Although it is widely thought that the nine-time Constructors' Championship winners will opt for Cosworth power-plants, the British team will be mindful of the last time it used an interim engine (Judd in 1988) as it sought a partnership with Renault having been dumped by Honda at the end of 1987.
Unless the Cosworth is pretty special, and it's way too early to know, a one-year deal won't look good as WilliamsF1 seeks new sponsors, never mind retaining current partners. Furthermore, a Cosworth deal will always see the Grove team paying for its engine supply, which will represent a dramatic drain on its budget.
Therefore it would be of no benefit for WilliamsF1 to rush into anything, far less follow Jenson Button's lead and sign any piece of paper thrust in front of it, far better to see how the situation between Toyota and Jordan pans out, and that could be decided within days.