Sir Frank Williams has hit out at 2008’s sole tyre supplier, Bridgestone, as well as the FIA, for planning a radically reduced test programme for the upcoming winter period.
The 64-year-old says he is concerned that his Grove-based team’s switch to Toyota power ahead of the 2007 season is at odds with the limited number of tyres that will be offered to all F1 squads.
”A lot of hard words have been said,” team co-owner owner and principal Williams is quoted as saying by the magazine Motorsport News.
Uncompetitive Williams is also notably struggling for reliability of late with its ‘FW28’ single seater.
Japanese marque Bridgestone’s Hiroshi Yasukawa responded: ”We have to balance the requests of the teams with the FIA’s desire to reduce costs.”
In his column for sponsor Castrol, meanwhile, 2006 and 2007 race driver Nico Rosberg revealed that former team technical director Patrick Head is today ‘taking a more hands on approach’ at Williams than in the recent past.
He added: ”I’m sure the 2007 season will see more successes for us.”
GMMF1
DailyF1News.com
