Williams still linked with Toyota engines

Although Mark Webber and Nico Rosberg both finished in the points at Sakhir, with the latter claiming fastest lap, it is understood that the team are continuing talks with Toyota about a customer deal for 2007.

Sources have revealed to autosport.com that Toyota's engine chief Luca Marmorini and manager of car design Pascal Vasselon held a meeting with Williams co-owner Patrick Head one evening at the Bahrain Grand Prix to begin preliminary discussions about the technical issues relating to a future partnership.

Despite those talks, however, it is understood that Williams have not signed a deal with Toyota yet and that there is still a chance that Cosworth could still remain with the team if they continue to shine.

Williams chiefs made it clear in Bahrain last weekend that they were very impressed with the work that Cosworth had done over the winter.

"I personally think they have got the best engine on the grid and whether that gives us a harder time to develop the tyre or the set-up or aero, fine," said technical director Sam Michael. "But you have got to take your hat off to them to produce an engine that revs to 19,000rpm and is as solid as a rock. They did a really, really good job."

However, the ultimate decision may well come down to whether Williams can afford to remain an independent customer team or if it would make better financial sense to join up with a manufacturer who would likely subsidise the cost of power-units.

Cosworth's managing director Tim Routsis said at the Williams launch earlier this year that he was determined to make it difficult for the team to choose to change engine partners.

"My job as head of Cosworth is to deliver the sort of performance in the early part of the year that makes it bloody hard for Williams to want to go anywhere else," he said.