This has been somewhat against the tide where one considers that teams such as McLaren, Jaguar, Renault, and Toyota are either owned partly or fully by their engine manufacturer partner. Teams such as Stewart and Benetton found themselves been taken over by their engine manufacturer partners. In the modern era of Formula One it has very much been the case that to survive you need to have the support of companies of the like of Renault and Ford.

Despite their independence there has been rumours developing that there current engine supplier BMW would be seeking to buy into the WilliamsF1 team. Now these rumours have taken on some substance based on comments made by Sir Frank Williams.

It was reported on the BMW Motorsport web site that Williams said: “Most of all, I would prefer to make an unlimited contract with BMW, which would run for ever and ever." With the contract between WilliamsF1 and BMW coming to an end after the 2004 season such remarks are understandable.

Williams added: “It would be ideal for us if BMW wanted to buy shares from us. For this would give WilliamsF1 greater security and make it easier for us to make plans. BMW wants to be involved in certain processes and technical developments and we’re going to put this into practice by and by.

We always need an engine and there fore we also need a partner to provide us with that engine. In addition, we also require some helpful technical input from them as far as drive or aerodynamics is concerned, but only in certain areas.”

In regard to BMW providing assistance this stems from BMW's disappointment with the 2002 FW24. Williams added: “BMW is disappointed that our car of this year is only little better than last year’s - and they have every right to be disappointed."

With teams futures been linked to support coming from their engine manufacture partners, teams such as WilliamsF1 have to now consider their futures. If WilliamsF1 was to lose their supply of engines from BMW they would be hard pressed to compete against those teams that have backing from a car manufacturer such as Mercedes Benz.

Williams would conclude by saying :"If the boys from Munich should decide to withdraw some day, it would be kind of them to let us keep the BMW company cars. For they are simply the best cars in the world.”