Arrows to decide whether to stick with Asiatech

Asiatech entered Formula 1 this year and supplies Arrows with an updated version of last year's Peugeot V10 engine.

"We've signed a two-year contract but we've both got options for the end of the year whether we continue or not," said Walkinshaw as his team prepared for the Canadian Grand Prix.

"We need to convince each other that it's a good idea so we'll see what happens. We have to make a decision on engines for next year definitely within the next month to five weeks at the latest."

According to Walkinshaw, Asiatech had promised him an upgraded engine within the next month as the team searches for a performance-booster to take it further up the grid.

"I don't really know how much it's going to be but they say that the first performance upgrade will come in about a month from now," added Walkinshaw. "The engines are beginning to be quite reliable this year. Now they've got a lot of work to do getting a lot more power.

"When you come to a circuit like Montreal you can see the difference between the really powerful engines to the ones that are lacking a little bit. But they've done a lot of work, they've done a good job over the winter and early part of the year making it reliable. Now they've got to focus on getting some real power."

Walkinshaw added that the search is also on to find a major car manufacturer to either supply engines in its own right or re-badge the Asiatech V10 as he knows that a tie-up is the only way the Enstone-based team can ever hope to win the world championship.

"We're looking for one [a manufacturer]," he said. "I think you can win the odd race, but you're never going to win a championship now unless you have a manufacturer as a partner. We need more manufacturers in this formula."

Arrows' best qualifying performance so far this season has been 15th place, achieved by both Jos Verstappen in the season opener in Australia and Enrique Bernoldi in Austria where Verstappen scored the team's only point so far by finishing sixth.