Despite major media speculation that a deal had been struck to take British Formula Nippon champion Ralph Firman to
Formula One this season, the team in question - Jordan- is refusing to rule out a late decision to take either Gary Paffett or previous favourite
Felipe Massa.
Britain's
Guardian newspaper led the way with rumours that Firman had confirmed a deal with the Silverstone-based team, but the official line from Jordan is that nothing has been signed and that both Paffett and Massa remain in the frame. The situation is reminiscent of that surrounding Massa only last week, with the Brazilian's management claiming that all that was needed to complete the deal were signatures on a contract, but Jordan admitting that it was still negotiating with alternative drivers.
"He [Firman] has been at the factory today but we've not agreed terms with his management yet," Jordan marketing director Mark Gallagher told
Reuters last night [Monday], "We hope that everything can be finalised tomorrow.
"Massa's people and Gary's people are still talking to us and [Firman] hasn't been signed today. You often find that these things don't go as quickly as planned and there's still a lot to be done."
Although Paffett was touted as the team's favourite by Sunday papers in Britain, Firman and Massa are both thought to have greater access to the funding Jordan desperately needs if it is to be competitive in 2003. Paffett's manager, kart ace Martin Hines, has said that he will do all he can to raise the £2million required for the seat, but both Firman and Massa are expected to have the finance already available.
The new season is now just month away and, with team leader
Giancarlo Fisichella running solo in the team's few test outings so far, Gallagher admitted that the need to sign a second driver was growing greater by the day. The next test on the team's schedule is in Spain at the beginning of next week, and team boss Eddie Jordan would dearly like to have both his drivers up and running in time for that.
