With the 2008 FW30 setting some encouraging times in the recent test at the Valencia circuit Williams Patrick Head is confident that the new car is an improvement over its predecessor the FW29. But despite his confidence he is realistic enough to admit that there is still a gap to the likes of Ferrari and McLaren, and that the team still has work to do to narrow this gap.

In an interview with autosport.com Head said: "The car is better and faster than last year's. But we can still see there is a good gap between Ferrari and ourselves, so we have got a lot of work to do.

"Like most of the teams we are expecting to develop our car before the first race in Melbourne, but I doubt we will be sitting on the first row of the grid in Melbourne. I hope we are reasonably well up though."

As for whether he came away happy with the FW30's performance at the Valencia test Head added: "We are never happy... it was okay. It is never acceptable, but it is the right direction. It is a faster car, but not fast enough yet."

But as to whether the performance of the FW30 could see the Williams team as the main challenger to McLaren and Ferrari Head was cautious in his answer..

Head said: "I don't know. Before the season starts you never know where everyone is, but certainly behind Ferrari and McLaren it looks quite close."

Head also commented on the teams new race driver Kazuki Nakajima. He was confident that the Formula One rookie would have a good future in the sport.

Head said: "I hope he can establish himself as a regular in F1. F1 is a tough business and you need to establish your credentials. I hope he can do that. I am sure he can, and I think he has probably got a good future."