BMW boss 'not happy' with Williams form

Speculation has mounted recently that BMW might continue its F1 involvement via a different route, and there have even been suggestions that they might try to buy out BAR.

Speaking at the Austrian Grand Prix today (Friday), Theissen said: "We certainly have several options but our first option and priority would be to extend our partnership with Williams. But, if we do that, we want to be successful and at the moment we are not in the position we want to be."

Fellow director Gerhard Berger recently outlined that BMW has produced the most powerful engine in F1 for the last couple of seasons, but has been let down by deficiencies in the Williams chassis. Theissen declined to point the finger quite so specifically, rather adopting the line that the entire package has to be right.

He added: "We are not happy with the position and the competitiveness we have at the moment. We will have to talk about how to fix that. It's more about the future than the present. When talking to Williams about a future partnership we certainly don't speak about FW25, because by that time this year's car will be history. We are talking about the key factors of competitiveness in the future.

"We are currently talking about how the team has to be structured and organised in order to get to the top. This is, I think, quite a constructive process and I am confident that at the end of it we will have a constructive result.

"If you look at the operation of the team, it's about processes and how people work together, how the development process is organised, the competence of the people and the resources available. Long term we haven't decided which way to go ahead, but there is a decision that BMW will stay in F1 beyond 2004."