A few months ago word on the street suggested Williams faced tough times ahead, but after visiting the factory last week Tony Dodgins reckons they look as ready as any team to weather the current financial storm

Last week was a funny old time. Over the past few years I’ve been to a few F1 launches that were... extravagant, shall we say. I’ve been to watch Cirque du Soleil at the Royal Albert Hall as a pretext for finding out what Eddie Jordan was about to serve up on the world’s F1 circuits. I've been to Alexandra Palace to see the Spice Girls while finding out the latest from McLaren, and I’ve been to St Mark’s Square in Venice to hear what Benetton had to say.

Today though, particularly right now, less is more. Teams do launches simultaneously with tests in Spain and Portugal, or they host a more modest affair at their own gaffe. And it’s none the worse for it, must be said.

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