By GMM

Following some disappointing showings for the Grove team in 2008, prominent Williams engineer Rod Nelson's job is now in jeopardy, according to reports.

Technical director Sam Michael missed the French grand prix at the weekend, leaving sole responsibility of the operation of the race team to Nelson.

Nelson switched to Williams from Renault, where he had been Fernando Alonso's race engineer for the Spaniard's successful title campaigns, in 2007.

He took the role as chief operations engineer, but has often disappointed his bosses Patrick Head and Sir Frank Williams, the Swiss publication Motorsport Aktuell said.

Head, the team's engineering veteran and co-owner, described Magny-Cours as a "very mediocre performance".