The Williams Formula One team have confirmed that they are actively seeking a new title sponsor for the 2012 season, after the AT&T company chose to end their partnership with the team at the end of their contract.
Eagle-eyed F1 fans noted that the AT&T branding had been removed from the Williams website on New Year's Day, the day after the team's agreement expired.
And the team confirmed the split on Wednesday, leaving the cash-strapped former champions with another budget hole to plug.
"We have reached the conclusion of our partnership [with them], the contract expired on Dec 31th by mutual agreement," a team spokeswoman told the media.
American telecommunications company AT&T joined the team at the start of the 2007 season as their new title sponsors, but have become the latest sponsor to leave Williams in recent seasons.
The team lost lucrative deals with RBS and Philips at the end of the 2010 season.
However, their sponsor shortfall has been made up by driver Pastor Maldonado, who is backed by Venezuelan oil company PDVSA.
The PDVSA deal is rumoured to be worth up to £30 million for the team for 2012, with Maldonado being kept on as a race driver.
Meanwhile, the Reuters news agency suggested on Wednesday that the AT&T deal was only worth around £4.5 million a season.
And the Grove-based team is already thought to have alternative deals lined up to shore up their 2012 budget.
Reuters claimed a source within Williams revealed the team was in "advanced negotiations" with another communications company to take over the title sponsorship.
Williams have also been reported to be in negotiations with the Qatar National Bank over a sponsorship deal.
Furthermore, the team could look to recruit a second 'pay driver' alongside Maldonado for 2012, with both Adrian Sutil and Bruno Senna thought to be in the frame.
Williams are seeking to bounce back in 2012 after their worst-ever F1 campaign last season, which saw them finish 9th in the constructors championship having scored just five points.
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