F1 Williams Cosworth racing

willie12masters

BMW-WILLIAMS RUMOURS INTENSIFY
Team refuse to answer speculation

(GMM) Williams co-owner Patrick Head refused to answer speculation that engine partner BMW may buy into team rival Sauber.

It is suggested that Frank Williams, principal at Grove, has already commenced dialogue with Cosworth to safeguard the team's F1 future.

''Whatever happens,'' Head told The Guardian newspaper, ''I am sure we will have competitive engines next year.

report by updatef1.com (10.5.05)



Should be interesting if Williams get cosworth power

Manni

they are on a par with what they have at the moment. Although they need to get their areo sorted quick smart.

salvo

so, we could have a new indipendent team next year;)

Petroltorque

Autosport are already reporting the split. Can't say I'm surprised though. BMW have been less than happy with the Williams operational side, with which they have no input.
Case in question is whether Heidfeld should take Pizzonia's seat. A no-brainer.
Williams have a really poor chassis and you can't blame its performance on the Munich motor solely. This is the second year running they have started the season playing catchup.
Finally some pundits are argueing that a split will cost BMW millions. I wonder most of these partnerships have got performance clauses. Williams look like they'll struggle to finish in the top 4. So yes, BMW might have to payoof Frank and Co, but no where near as much as some might think.
This might explain Williams machinations re: Cosworh.

MinardiP1

If I was Frank Williams i'd be telling Mario Thiessen to put up or shut up - we've got an equally good option (Cosworth), let's see if your other option (Sauber) can do it as good as us without BMW pumping in tens of millions of dollars to bring them up to division 1 status. :rolleyes:

Mario should STFU and just make sure the engine is the best it can be - fuckups like last Friday's no running for Webber just aren't acceptable if you plan on saying 'it's not our fault' to the BMW board. :mad:

TOIT have been supplying Sauber with gun engines and technical support for years and it hasn't done much for them has it? Williams are a top designer and aero person away from being at the top once again. BMW would do well to reflect on that, and help rather than hinder.

Minardus

fuckups like last Friday's no running for Webber just aren't acceptable if you plan on saying 'it's not our fault' to the BMW board.

And don't forget about Nick's 10-place-demotion as well !!!!

Petroltorque

I doubt Williams are in a position to bounce bak any time soon. They are on a downward path. They just seem to be repositioning members of the tech staff. Much like moving deck chairs on the Titanic.
Re; Sauber, they've been paying TOIT $24 million a year for engines and that includes a hefty profit margin for the maraenello mob. A tie up with BMW will cut that outlay substantially and free up R and D budget. Its not like Sauber are that far away from Williams now on performance anyway.

viges

Hmm, bit rocky at Williams these days. Sad to see.

Autosport says Honda is the most likely partner for them but it doesn't quite ring true to me. Equally hard to imagine Williams as a customer team.

Fings ain't what they used to be and we have another changing of the guard. I desperately want Frank and Patrick to bounce back but I just don't see it.

Petroltorque

Sad indeed. When a guy sells his jet to finance the windtunnel program, you know the desire is still there. The problem I feel is that the management are to close to the operation. They need to take a step back and look at the situation objectively.

max_torq

I agree with P1 that Mario and his desire to run his own germanic F1 team are poisoning the relationship between BMW and Williams.

somewhat like Mateshitz, screwing around with Sauber

or Perridon, with Minardi.

Mateshitz might have got lucky but now he finds that his pet driver is crap and when a few other teams have their act togethor F1 is tough. Mario has yet to take this fact in.