APRIL 14, 1997

One more year for Rothmans

WILLIAMS will continue to be sponsored by Rothmans for 1998. It will be the cigarette company's fifth season with the team.

In recent months there has been considerable talk that Rothmans International, which owns the Rothmans brand, had decided that it was not going to continue in F1, as the Rembrandt Group - which controls Rothmans International - was planning to get out of the tobacco industry, because advertising products is becoming more and more restricted.

Williams was certainly aware of the possibilities and has spoken to a variety of other cigarette companies in recent months, notably British American Tobacco, West and Marlboro.