Williams under no illusions for 2008

The British squad's new FW30 has proven to be a step forward from last year's car, leading to the belief that the Grove team could be Ferrari's and McLaren's main challenger.

But Williams has played down those expectations, as he reckons their rivals will have improved as much as his own team.

"I don't subscribe to what the press has said," Williams said. "Our competitors around us, of which there are many, are just as competitive.

"Formula One is never easy; it's not supposed to be easy, so to think that we're going to sail in to third place in the first few races is pie in the sky. If we do, it'll be a tight fit."

Williams, whose team have won eight constructors' championships, admits he is finding it hard to believe that they had not won a title in a decade.

"Ten years is a miserably long time, Patrick (Head) and I wince every time we think about it. But life's tough, it's never meant to be easy, you just have to get on with it and work hard to get back to the top.

"Whether we've turned a corner, we will only be able to tell once the season gets underway."