Grapevine: Jaguar Set Sights on Williams Design Duo

According to the latest paddock rumours from Indianapolis, the Jaguar team are aiming to lure Williams design duo Gavin Fisher and Geoff Willis.

Chief designer Fisher and aerodynamicist Willis have played a key role in the success of this year's BMW-powered FW23, which has scored four wins and has enabled the Grove-based team to fight for second place in the Constructors' Championship against their McLaren rivals.

Now according to reports, both men could be heading for Jaguar, where they will get significantly better paid jobs as the Milton Keynes team continue making their way to the top of the sport. Jaguar were unable to hire McLaren's technical director Adrian Newey earlier this season, in what turned out to be one of the most controversial issues of the year.

Jaguar boss Niki Lauda has already asked for time before the team perform at their peak, but the Austrian is aiming to get all the necessary resources to take the Ford-owned team to the top, and the Williams duo could be one of his priorities.

"It took Ferrari 21 years since Jody Scheckter before they won the World Championship with Michael [Schumacher]," Lauda told The Independent. "These things just don't happen overnight.

"You need the resources, which is why we have to wait until we can be in our own wind tunnel full-time instead of coming over here whenever we can get time."