New car one thing, but finding £5m. another...

ANDY PRIAULX has good and bad news for his rivals. The good is that there is a car out there even quicker and better than his world touring car championship-winning BMW 320i.

The bad news for his challengers is that the car concerned is a new BMW 320si and the Guernseyman, British motor racing's first world champion since Damon Hill, will have it for his title defence in 2006.

So what now for the 31-year-old, other than a good rest from the rigours of a 20-round season which started in early April?

One rumour doing the rounds yesterday was that Priaulx would become Williams' official third driver next Formula 1 season, working alongside Nico Rosberg and Mark Webber.

The man himself was unavailable for comment, but Autosport writer Edd Straw, who has followed Priaulx's career with great interest for many years, doubts whether that will happen.

While the third spot in the Williams team remains open, Straw says 'it is quite unlikely' to go to Priaulx, purely on financial grounds.

Straw said Priaulx would have to find up to £5m. to win a place in a team like Williams, for which he already does some test driving.

The rumour may have emanated from a story that appeared on the BBC Sport website last week when Priaulx admitted he was hoping to do more F1 testing in 2006.

'If I can become the Michael Schumacher of touring cars and be a full-time F1 tester, I will have done pretty well,' Priaulx was quoted as saying.

He added: 'Everyone knows you need money for Formula 1 and I just don't have that.'