BMW Not Ruling Out Own F1 Team

BMW motorsport director Mario Theissen is hoping the German manufacturer can reach a deal to continue working with the Williams team, but said they are not ruling out forming a partnership with a different outfit or even creating their own Formula One team.

"Our intention is to keep the partnership, but if this is not possible, the possibility to work with another team or to form our own team will also be considered," Theissen told Brazil's Agencia Estado on Saturday.

Williams, nine times constructors' champions, are in their fourth year of partnership with the German carmaker. Their current contract will expire at the end of the 2004 season, and Williams said they were confident of continuing their partnership.

"We had a long meeting with BMW yesterday on a contract and made a lot of progress. We believe we'll do a deal, we're hoping to do a deal. We're optimistic," team boss Frank Williams said last month.

Williams said it would take "a month or two" to reach a deal.