Williams’ third co-owner has admitted the British team considered changing engine suppliers for the 2011 season.

Lotus is set to switch to Renault power at the end of the season, but Cosworth has announced that its other existing partners – Williams, HRT and Virgin – are staying put.

In an interview with Kleine Zeitung newspaper, Austrian Toto Wolff – who has a minority stake in the Frank Williams and Patrick Head co-owned team – admitted there have been disappointments in 2010.

“In a sporting sense, the beginning of the season was difficult because the expectations in the team were very high,” he said.

“Maybe we were a little bit too optimistic about the engine,” admitted Wolff.

Reports earlier this year said Williams was disappointed with the Cosworth V8, and had held talks with potential alternative supplier Renault.

Wolff hinted that the engine situation was indeed “discussed” within the Grove based team, but “not seriously considered”.

“In the last weeks Cosworth has found its stride,” he said.

And there are other problems for Williams, former racing driver and businessman Wolff insists.

“Above all the teams’ agreement about personnel restrictions was too loose,” he said.

“This was a disadvantage for us, so now it should be precisely formulated for a reasonable cost base for 2011,” added Wolff.

“The team is going well economically and was – and is – profitable,” he insisted.

“Williams is losing two sponsors next year but there are good discussions with potential new partners.”

Wolff also indicated that, alongside Rubens Barrichello, German rookie Nico Hulkenberg is set to stay at Williams next year.

“Of all the young drivers he is probably the best at the moment,” he said.  “He is actually remarkable; only the experience is missing.

“I feel quite comfortable with this driver combination.  My word has at least as much weight as the others on the board, and this applies to the drivers as well.”

Mercedes’ Norbert Haug and Force India on Friday played down reports about movement in the customer engine market for 2011.
Citing unnamed sources, a report in the Bayern newspaper TZ said Red Bull could be powered by Mercedes next year, with Force India switching to Renault.

Force India denied the story, insisting it has a valid contract with Mercedes until the end of 2012.

Also contrary to the report, the Silverstone based team said its payments to Mercedes are up to date “and always will be”.

Mercedes also responded to the report, with motor sport vice president Haug insisting the marque is also contractually bound.

“We would have worked with Red Bull already this year,” he told German television Sky.

“However, we have an exclusive contract with McLaren. Understandably, McLaren has put in the veto,” explained Haug.

“We have to respect contracts, of course. That is the situation.

“I would be very happy to see Mark Webber, who was formerly with us (Mercedes), and of course Sebastian Vettel, drive with our engines.

“But at the moment that is not the case,” said Haug.

Adam Parr is not ruling out a change of engine supplier for Williams.

Amid rumours both Williams and Lotus could each be eyeing a supply of Renault V8s in 2011, Cosworth’s Mark Gallagher has insisted both teams are under contract for three years.

Parr, Williams’ chief executive, likened a F1 team’s relationship with its key suppliers to a marriage.

“You do have rows with your wife, but you know you have got the common interest and I still think that is the case,” Parr, referring to Williams’ recent qualms about the driveability and degradation of the Cosworth engine this year, is quoted by GP Week.

“But we have no plans to change engine partner, and we have no desire to change engine partner,” he continued.

“I just don’t want to rule out the possibility of something happening because that would be a stupid thing to do,” he added.

(GMM)

Cosworth has played down reports Williams is set to switch to Renault engine power in 2011.

It has been suggested that Grove based Williams is unhappy with the performance of the 2.4 litre V8, especially its degradation as it ages.

But Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport reports that the British independent engine maker, also the supplier to the three new teams, has commenced a programme to improve the deficiencies.

And Cosworth’s business director Mark Gallagher said: “We have a three year contract with Williams, and there is no evidence they want to end this relationship.”

He also said all of the candidates to be F1′s 13th team in 2011 “with one exception” have been in talks with Cosworth.

Auto Motor und Sport reports that Cosworth is the cheapest engine supplier on the grid, with its engine costing EUR 5.5 million per year compared to the 9m price-tag for Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault power.

The publication said Nicolas Todt’s hopeful ART team wants to be powered by Ferrari.

But Gallagher insists that Cosworth provides a highly reliable product, while the input of Rubens Barrichello has helped the marque to improve the engine’s driveability.

As for the loss of horse power in the middle of the engine’s life, Gallagher revealed: “We have found the cause and brought a solution to the FIA for permission to make the change.”

(GMM)