This week's Grapevine brings you information fresh from the paddock on: BMW Back-Pedal Silly Season Update: Monaco

BMW Back-Pedal

The irony of a Williams winning at the circuit that is most notorious for elevating the attributes of the chassis over engine performance has not been missed.

Since the start of the season, the message coming out of BMW has been one of disappointment that their engine, which they claim to be the most powerful on the grid, is not winning races, due to Williams inability to develop a car that could compete. This mantra has been a cornerstone through the difficult process of renegotiating the contract that keeps the two in partnership: BMW want more input and control in the development of the cars, including relocating whole development areas to their factories in Germany. Williams, naturally, are unwilling to give up either control or expertise, as any subsequent parting of ways would see BMW taking that experience elsewhere.

When the new car was launched, Williams were the first to admit that the aerodynamics did not live up to expectations - and immediately set about sorting it out. They hired a talented aerodynamicist, restructured the department, and started turning out improvements that have moved the car forwards in leaps and bounds as the season progressed, though the competition kept doing a better job at race weekends.

Claiming that Juan Pablo Montoya would have won in Austria led to an interesting spat in the media - Williams appeared keen to emphasise that an engine failure ended their chances, whilst BMW were quick to state that the part that actually failed, leading to the engine overheating, was a Williams component. All very good reading for an interested public, but ultimately destructive for the relationship between the companies.

Now that Williams have not only brought BMW a victory to shout about, but done so at a circuit that relies on the performance of the chassis, the German company has had the wind taken out of their sails. Little surprise, then, that Williams are now confident the renegotiated contract is now a matter of tidying up details, rather than arguing over who has control of the chassis, and are looking forward to signing BMW up for the remainder of the decade.

Silly Season Update: Monaco

It has to be said, it just wouldn't be Monaco without the rumours that do the rounds, and this year was certainly not lacking in that regard.

Probably the most predictable gossip doing the rounds was the prospect of Juan Pablo Montoya being hired by Ferrari. Whilst the prospect of Montoya racing alongside Michael Schumacher clearly whets the appetites across a wide spectrum, realists everywhere discount the possibility of the multiple World Champion putting his reputation on the ropes at this stage in his career. Rather, it is intended as an instrument to maintain the value of the team. If Schumacher decides to retire after 2004, then Montoya would be a credible replacement, so rumours of his pending arrival do no harm. More to the point, it also permits Ferrari to apply pressure to the German during his negotiations, to gain concessions against his very considerable demands, of which, salary is not the biggest problem.

Despite a very nice (if not especially lucrative) offer to join Williams, it is clear that Schumacher is looking to remain at Ferrari, and with as much of the current team around him as possible. Inevitably, that means organising new contracts with all the senior designers, engineers and management alongside the Schumacher negotiation, along with all their demands and requirements. On the positive side, Ferrari are looking for stability - maintaining their market value - and aim to tie up Schumacher by September. Having apparently gone off the boil this season, Barrichello's future beyond 2004 is in doubt, but, as ever, the team consider the needs of their second driver last, so the pressure is not really on him yet, despite Eddie Jordan's continued petitioning on behalf of Giancarlo Fisichella.

Another Ferrari driver who has been working hard, if out of the spotlight, is Felipe Massa. The youngster has continued to show great pace in testing, and the team are impressed with his potential. The last six months have shown that without the pressure from media reporting his every move, he is capable of exploring the limits of the car very effectively. Accordingly, Ferrari are looking to get him back in to Sauber next season, which, of course, means that Heinz-Harald Frentzen putting his considerable experience to use by driving into the barriers on the first lap puts him in pole position to be replaced. In fact, some believe that Sauber could be replacing both drivers, as Peter Sauber has been testing more promising youngsters.

Much talk of the weekend surrounded Toyota, fuelled by the team's continued poor showing. Olivier Panis has been fairly open with his disappointment in the performance of the car this season, particularly objecting to the lack of reliability. Furthermore, the team, despite initially being very happy with Panis' feedback from testing, are getting frustrated that he is not showing more patience, whilst the driver is frustrated that his feedback is not being actioned effectively. Cristiano de Matta has shown speed, but often seems to be further off the pace than expected from a CART Championship winner, which is eroding the team's confidence in what he has to offer - though a few more performances like his Saturday qualifying lap would restore that in short order. It means that the team are expected to have at least one seat available for next year, and there is plenty of speculation over who would fit.

Jacques Villeneuve continues to top the list of Toyota hopefuls, as his time at BAR is expected to end this year. His star might be waning, but Toyota would gain kudos if he can win with them, when Honda were unable to give him a car that would do the trick. McLaren test driver Pedro de la Rosa is keen to return to racing, and Toyota would welcome anyone with working knowledge of the new McLaren on to the team: having a driver who can directly compare their car against one of the top three should provide focus for prioritising the development of their car. If nothing else, it would ensure they know how their engines rate against the latest Mercedes offering, which would decide the price point for the proposed 'cheap' customer units available from 2005.

Interestingly, there was also mention of interest in Justin Wilson, presumably as an investment for the future. Despite being in his first year, driving an uncompetitive car, and seeing very little testing time, Wilson has done well enough to be drawing attention. BAR are supposed to have considered him as a potential replacement for Villeneuve at the end of the year - though the source of that rumour appears, suspiciously, to be in the Minardi camp. Williams have also cast an eye in his direction, and considering the offer of a test role, but they are not planning to extend their cockpit in the next year, so he just plain won't fit in the car.

Eddie Jordan quite openly admires Wilson's enterprising approach to funding his Minardi drive, but cannot stretch to offer a free ride next year - even though Monaco proved a happy hunting ground this year. Never one to let a potential sponsor take their cash elsewhere, the eponymous Irishman is supposed to have sealed deals worth a fifth of next year's budget over the weekend.