Williams: privateers need carmakers in F1

As the car makers bid to get plans for a part engine freeze in the sport ratified at Thursday's meeting of the Formula One Commission, team boss Williams is adamant that the FIA should be doing all they can to keep manufacturers in.

Although his own team are struggling to compete against some of the world's biggest car makers, having just slipped to eighth in the constructors' championship, Williams thinks that ultimately his team are better off with the manufacturers in the sport.

"Bernie (Ecclestone) has a strong view, as do I, that the sport will be much worse off without manufacturers," said Williams. "That is because they can afford to give out, if persuaded, some form of subsidised or free-of-charge engine.

"Five manufacturers plus Ferrari is a lot of prestige - and it tows in their wake. Look at BMW. They walked into Petronas, Intel, O2 and Dell - there are world-class names on one car alone. That is what manufacturers do, whereas we get very little attention."

Although Williams was involved in the discussions last weekend that resulted in the Indianapolis Agreement - a homologation plan for Formula One for the next four years - he insists he is not too worried about what format future rules take.

"We try to be neutral," said Williams, whose team are switching to Toyota engines next year. "But if we're trying to become a partner with an existing manufacturer, we have to position ourselves sympathetically.

"Which group of regulations is better, is irrelevant for me to discuss. It's not our problem to make the engines, we just pay for them."

When asked whether he would expect to pay less for engines next year if the freeze went ahead, he said: "It depends on each manufacturer. It depends on what the second team could do for them."