Williams are to announce their driver line-up for the 2010 Formula One season on Monday.
Barrichello and Hulkenberg poised to form new partnership
Williams are to announce their driver line-up for the 2010 Formula One season on Monday.
The former champions look set to confirm a brand new pairing with Nico Rosberg and Kazuki Nakajima both ready to move on.
Germany's Rosberg has already made clear his intention to move on while Nakajima of Japan - a Toyota-backed driver - is set to leave after Williams decided not to continue with the manufacturer's engines.
The new Williams line-up is widely expected to be Brazilian veteran Rubens Barrichello and Germany's GP2 champion Nico Hulkenberg.
Barrichello, 37, has won two races this year with new champions Brawn and is still battling to secure the runner-up position in the championship standings.
Although he refused to confirm the move to Williams, he acknowledged the switch would appeal, stating: "They have always been a team that anyone would look at.
"That is no different right now. Anyone would look at a position at Williams
because it's one of the best teams out there, and they are on their way up.
Waiting
"I'm waiting for the season to end and then I'll come out and tell you everything I have to say.
"Right now I'm not waiting for Jenson to do this and some others to do that.
"My mind is pretty well fixed, but it's not the right time to talk about that right now.
"It (an announcement) is getting pretty close, maybe as far as a week, but nothing yet to announce or report.
"It's been a very good season where we've concentrated on the year as best as we could.
"But it's better to wait a little longer to announce where I'm going to be in the future."
The seat he vacates at Brawn is likely to go to Rosberg who has performed well in 2009, but Nakajima - who failed to score a point for Williams this season - could yet struggle to secure a drive for next season.
Cosworth deal
Having opted to part company with Toyota, Williams look all but certain to be powered by Cosworth engines next year, although a spokesman for the team would only say that a formal announcement on their new supplier was scheduled for the week after next.
However, team owner Frank Williams has been quoted in the Gulf News newspaper as confirming the Cosworth deal and revealing that the drivers would be announced on Monday.
"Our performance needs to improve," stated Williams. "We staggered in the second half of the 2009 season. It's fundamental that the car is not fast enough, but from what I've seen we should have been a little more competitive.
"We've finished our contract with Toyota and we've moved on to a British engine manufacturer Cosworth, with whom we have won many world championships in the past.
"They are 50 miles away from Williams which is very convenient.
"Besides we also like our independence. We will be not under the influence, not that Toyota ever bossed around, but we've just gone down a private and independent route."
