Mark Webber’s future stepped into clouded territory on Monday, as the ‘option’ on his Williams contract was due to expire. Sir Frank Williams has not yet exercised the clause to retain the highly-rated Australian race driver for 2007, mostly because it will also trigger a wage-increase that he can ill-afford to pay the 29-year-old.

When Webber was signed on a four-year deal starting in 2005, Williams - now on a shoestring and with a customer Cosworth engine - commanded a top-team budget with carmaker BMW’s works support. Asked by reporters at Hockenheim about the looming deadline on Sunday, Mark said, according to AAP: ”We are trying bloody hard to make it work and I think there’s a good chance we will.”

The most likely scenario is that Williams will let the ‘option’ lapse so that Webber can be signed for 2007 on a smaller salary.

[GMM]

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