Williams developed Toyota’s new gearbox

(GMM) A Williams spokesman has confirmed that technology developed by the Grove based team formed the basis for Toyota's gearbox for 2007.

Japan owned Toyota, the Cologne based works team, supplies V8 engines to Williams, amid speculation that the traditionally independent outfit has become a Toyota 'B' team.

But communications manager Liam Clogger indicated that the technology transfer is actually a two-way street, telling us that Toyota's new seamless-shift transmission was "a joint development between the two organizations, using our '06 technology as a platform".