Mar.5 (GMM) Sir Frank Williams and Patrick Head have passed up the opportunity to get sentimental about their three decades at the helm of the Grove based formula one team.

The British team has been celebrating the 30th anniversary, as well as its forthcoming 500th grand prix this year, with a series of special liveries over the 2008 pre-season period.

To the British news agency Reuters, however, team boss Williams seemed less keen to big-note his outfit's statistical achievements.

"It's just numbers, isn't it," the 65-year-old, who has been confined to a wheelchair since a road accident in 1986, said.

Engineering veteran Patrick Head, meanwhile, who owns the remaining 30 per cent of the currently Toyota-powered team, also distanced himself from the commemorative test paint jobs.

"I have to say I probably would be put down as an old cynic or whatever, but all this stuff is a bit the product of our marketing and media department," he said.

Head said the department was so keen to properly publicise Williams' history this year because the once ultra-successful team is now, among its manufacturer-backed opponents, often considered a formula one "minnow".

"I think somebody in our organisation felt that it might be a good idea to remind people that we have been a fairly significant part of formula one for quite a long time," Head said.