Williams team continues to oppose customer cars
The British team is the only outfit in the paddock not backed either by a car manufacturer or a billionaire individual.
Financially, all does not seem rosy at Williams, after recent two-year losses of $88m were revealed, and sponsors Petrobras and Lenovo are expected to switch to other teams.
Should the numbers on the grid dwindle further, however, Williams would remain opposed to the relaxing of the rule that states formula one teams must design and build their own cars, team chief executive Adam Parr insists.
"There is the scope for teams to put three cars on the grid and if we have eight teams with three cars, that's 24 cars which is four more than we have had this year," he is quoted as saying by The Guardian.
"Williams would rather compete on equal terms with constructors and take our chances than mess around with customer teams," Parr added.
Veteran F1 commentator Murray Walker denies the 'three car' proposal is unworkable in these times because it will only add to cash-strapped teams' costs.
"The overheads are going to be the same," he told the BBC.
"Yes, using a third car is going to be a bit more expensive, but if the cost-cutting measures that are hopefully going to be implemented work, then there will be some money left over.
"It's better than formula one disappearing altogether," he said.
Parr believes the likelihood of another team following Honda out of the door prior to the start of the 2009 season is high "and there is a very high chance it will be a manufacturer".
Red Bull's motor racing consultant Helmut Marko denied reports the missing team could be the energy drink's Red Bull Racing or Scuderia Toro Rosso.