Williams to terminate engine deal with Toyota
The Williams Formula One team have said their engine supply deal with Toyota will end at the conclusion of this season.
The announcement, which had been expected for several weeks, leaves the Grove-based team free to name their engine supplier for the 2010 season with Renault and Cosworth having been linked as a possible replacement for Toyota.
"At a time of great difficulty for us as a team, Toyota stepped forward and agreed to supply us with engines for 2007 through to the end of 2009," the Williams team principal, Frank Williams, said. "Toyota has been a very decent partner who has always respected our independence and provided us with a first-rate technical product. We are proud that we have been able to work with such a great company and we are grateful to the team in Cologne for their support."
One man who could benefit from the new engine deal at Williams is the current Brawn GP driver Rubens Barrichello. The Brazilian, who trails championship leader and Brawn team-mate Jenson Button by 14 points in the standings ahead of his home race at Interlagos this weekend, has revealed he has had talks with Williams over moving there next season.
"I haven't signed with anybody yet. But it's true that I'm talking with Williams and Brawn," he said. Barrichello, who made his Formula One debut in 1993, is the most experienced driver in grand prix history having started 286 races.