Cosworth confident of replacing Williams

The Northamptonshire-based engine builder entered a one-year deal with Williams at the start of this year and hoped to do a good enough job to continue with the outfit in 2007.

But the possibility of linking up with a car manufacturer was understood to have been crucial for Williams, who are set to confirm their Toyota deal at the Canadian Grand Prix in two weeks time.

That move has left Cosworth needing to find an alternative team to link-up with for a supply of V8 engines, with only their V10 contract at Scuderia Toro Rosso currently confirmed.

Cosworth's commercial director Bernard Ferguson has held talks with a number of teams, with Midland a likely favourite for a V8 contract and there being speculation that Red Bull Racing could even return to his company next year.

Ferguson said he is upbeat about Cosworth's chances of remaining in F1 on the back of the imminent news about Williams' switch to Toyota.

"It looks that way from everything I have read, and if that is the case then so be it," said Ferguson about the Williams switch to Toyota.

"They had a one year contract, we will carry on for the year and we will try our best to be as competitive as we can for the rest of the year.

"Other teams for next year? We are still talking to people but nothing is signed at this stage. We are optimistic though we will still be around being a nuisance to everybody."

Ferguson said it would be logical for Toro Rosso to convert their V10 contract over to a V8 deal, but that nothing had been decided on that front.

"It is their choice, really," he explained. "The V10 is still legal for next year, I don't know what would happen if they brought the engine freeze forward, because that would add complications to it, but we have a contract to supply V10s for next year.

"If Toro Rosso want to modify that contract and make it different then we will sit down and talk to them and if we can strike a deal then great."