Williams to shift focus to 2009 car

The team from Grove were tipped as one of the favourites to fight behind the top squads during pre-season testing, and they lived up to that when Nico Rosberg finished on the podium in the opening race in Australia.

Williams's performances, however, have become worse as the season progressed and the team have scored just two points in the last seven races. They are currently tied with Toro Rosso in seventh place in the standings.

Williams said during the Belgian Grand Prix weekend that his team are not planning any more significant developments for this year's car and instead will focus on 2009.

"We recognise that we are right at the back of the grid effectively, too often though not every time," Williams said. "We recognise that this year's car is almost as developed as we can successfully do it, short of a major revamp of all the aerodynamics nd next year's car is the one where we pin our hopes.

"We're not saying 'watch out for our next race' because it isn't going to be like that. We just have to soldier on and get more out of what we've got.

"There are one or two little bits for the remaining races but essentially our main focus is on next year's car because it is almost a fresh start for everybody with the aero rules. We started on that quite a long time ago and we will see how it works for us."

Several new rules will come into play next season in order to reduce speeds and increase overtaking, in a revamp that could see a team make a significant jump in performance.

Williams is confident his team will do a good job with the KERS system to be introduced next season, although he believes that the fact that they are building it themselves will not mean they will have an advantage over their rivals.

"It is not as though it will give us a particular advantage," he said. "We think, as most manufacturers, we will do a good job with KERS. Patrick (Head) has his own group in the company and we have been working on it for a number of months. It is much more affordable if you do it yourself providing you are successful with it.

"We are doing it because we have to do it. I imagine most people will come out with roughly similar horsepower."

The team boss also said Williams are likely to keep their line-up driver unchanged in 2009.

"That is the case so far. We will decide probably after the last race. We will keep our options."