Williams sets January date

The car that Mark Webber and his new team-mate will drive is to be revealed at a separate launch at the end of January in Spain. The team's 2005 contender, the FW27, will break cover for the first time and complete shakedown laps at Valencia on January 31.

Williams currently has Webber and Antonio Pizzonia under contract, but has yet to decide whether to promote the Brazilian from his current test role to a full race drive. In the wake of the Button affair, the team is to test Briton Anthony Davidson and German Nick Heidfeld as it seeks to complete its line-up.

Pizzonia is scheduled to test this week at Barcelona, while both Davidson and Heidfeld will get a chance to impress the team at Jerez.

Davidson, who impressed all with his pace as BAR's 2004 'Friday tester' gets his run in a Williams-BMW on December 1 and 2004 Jordan driver Heidfeld takes his turn on December 9. David Coulthard is also still available and keen to drive for the team.

The presentation at the Bahrain International Circuit on January 7 will also be used to reveal the Williams-BMW 2005 livery as well as the driver line-up. The team has in recent years employed two test drivers (Pizzonia and Marc Gene in 2004) as well as the two race drivers.

Team principal Frank Williams has hinted that in his view Pizzonia is currently favourite to take the race seat alongside Webber, who will will join Pizzonia at Barcelona this week to get his first taste of the Williams FW26.