Webber expects announcement next week

The Australian will leave Williams at the end of the year and his manager Flavio Briatore is currently finalizing a deal for him.

Although it is understood a contract has not been signed, sources claim that Briatore and Red Bull are in the final stages of negotiations.

Webber himself said he expected the matter to be resolved during the three-week summer gap between now and the Turkish Grand Prix.

"I think there will be some news probably by the end of next week," he said at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Webber has refused to talk specifically about his plans for next year but admitted that Red Bull Racing were one of the teams that Briatore was considering for him.

"They are an option," he said. "But we're not discounting other options either. I'm not there yet, so it doesn't make any sense talking about what it would be like to be there."

Webber claims that his decision to leave Williams at the end of this year was prompted by the frustrations of this year - with poor reliability ruining several chances of finishing on the podium. He thinks that the troubles have forced him to be more selfish about his career.

"The loyalty for me was nearly to stay again, but whether it's been through my management, or the people who spend a lot of time with me, they were open about it, (telling me to) get over it, and everyone around me was over it.

"In the end, we all made the decision that we should try something new.

"I'm getting uglier and older, I'll be 30 at the next race, but ahhh ... we still like to have some different opinions and advice.  We all do that. It's important to have bits of different advice from here and there, but in the end I've made the decision, yes, to go. I could be proved wrong.

"Y'know, Flavio wasn't a big fan of me to come here (to Williams) initially, and I worked very, very hard to come to Williams.  He has new ideas for me now, and I am never going to say no to him again."