Friday: F1 News in Brief

Williams to 'survive', boss says
News briefs from Melbourne: Friday 2

Williams to 'survive', boss says
(GMM) Sir Frank Williams, one of the last true independents in formula one, has ruled out following Eddie Jordan and Paul Stoddart through the exit if 2007 is not a significant step forward for his Grove team.

"Oh, we'll survive for a long time yet, but it is not acceptable for (team co-owner) Patrick (Head) and myself to be happy with the way things are," he said.

With the new Toyota powered FW29 car, Williams has made a step forward over the winter and Sir Frank refused to rule out a return some time soon to the winner's rostrum.

"It is certainly possible," Williams told the newspaper The Independent.

"I'll have a better answer for you in six months' time."

News briefs from Melbourne: Friday 2
(GMM) Toyota is estimated to be F1's biggest spender, with its annual budget in the nine-digit range, but marketing manager Andy Fuchs suggested that the Japanese giant is unlikely to pull out of formula one because it is too expensive.

"It's a reasonable price compared to what you would have to pay in advertising for the same kind of exposure," he said.

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Team boss Flavio Briatore has explained Renault's "shock" when it first switched from Michelin to control Bridgestone tires over the winter.

"We had balanced our car with Michelin and the moment we put the Bridgestones on was a shock," the Italian said on Friday at Albert Park.

"But apart from that I think it was the right way to go for formula one."

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The wind just south of Melbourne picked up prior to the final 90 minutes of practice on Friday, but the rain stayed away, allowing competitive lap times right from the start at 2pm.

"Whatever happens, it's the same for everyone," said Alex Wurz.

McLaren's Lewis Hamilton explained: "I hope it stays dry because I only managed one lap in the dry this morning."

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Sir Frank Williams has urged Nico Rosberg to be more like his new teammate, the experienced Alex Wurz.

"Multi-page emails (from Wurz) are de rigueur," Williams told The Independent, "and hopefully that rigor will pass to Nico."

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The Australian grand prix is Mike Gascoyne's first formula one race since being "sacked" as technical director at Toyota last year.

"It was strange," Spyker's new acquisition recalled of the situation on Friday. "We were on the podium here in Melbourne and then I was sacked the next day.

"So I'm not quite sure what I did wrong."