Rosberg puts Williams on notice

Germany's Nico Rosberg has warned his Williams Formula One team he could leave after next season if the former champions fail to give him a competitive car.

Asked whether he regretted staying with Williams for 2009, Rosberg told reporters he had been contractually bound to the team whatever happened this year.

"Next year the cars are going to be completely spread out again because everybody starts from zero so I will tell you half-way through next year if I regret it or not," he said, referring to the sweeping rule changes for 2009.

"It would be fantastic if the team could change their course. I am not asking for a world championship-winning car, just a car that gives me the opportunity to finish in the points consistently," the 23-year-old son of 1982 champion Keke added.

"Should 2009 not turn out as I hope it will, then naturally I have to re-think my position for 2010."

Rosberg has been linked in the past to McLaren, with Frank Williams saying in February that McLaren had made an offer of "majestic proportions" for Rosberg last year after double world champion Fernando Alonso had left.

McLaren ultimately signed Heikki Kovalainen, who has a contract to the end of next season and won this year's Hungarian Grand Prix, the only victory of his Formula One career to date.

Rosberg started the 2008 season strongly with a third place finish in Australia. He also took second in Singapore. The rest of the year was a disappointment however, with the German ending the 18-race season in 13th place with just 17 points.