World title is not lost yet, claims Head

Speaking exclusively to AUTOSPORT, Head hit out at those who have questioned the team's ability to produce a chassis capable of winning a world championship.

"There is an overall acknowledgement that we started the season at too low a level," said Head. "But we've improved the car a lot since the beginning of the year and we are on quite a strong improvement slope."

He added: "We don't consider ourselves out of the game and when I see people say it will be a three-way fight between Ferrari, McLaren and Renault it just makes me smile. I suspect we will be players pretty soon."

Williams' engine partner BMW has openly criticised the team in recent weeks, with its outgoing motorsport director Gerhard Berger launching a scathing attack on its latest challenger in an Austrian TV interview.

Head responded: "I am mildly disappointed in terms of individuals at BMW who think they can achieve anything through trying to rattle our cage in the press. It shows their limitations and it is a bit sad."

For the full story read this week's AUTOSPORT magazine, which also contains Gerhard Berger's first-hand account of what he really said about Williams in his controversial Austrian TV interview. Check out for Berger's inside line on the Williams-BMW relationship.