Tobacco firm Rothmans International announced today that it will not continue the sponsorship of the Winfield Williams F1 team after the end of the 1999 season. Rothmans marketing director, Mark Hulit, said the decision comes following Williams' teaming up with BMW, who will most likely become Williams' prime sponsor.

However, the announcement comes as little surprise since Rothmans has merged with British American Tobacco (BAT, owner of BAR) earlier this year in which time it was made clear that once Williams' contract with Rothmans ends, at the end of 1999, the tobacco firm will pull out of Formula One and BAT will only support the BAR team.