Jordan finally decides... it's Firman!

The Jordan team has, at last, made up its mind over which man will partner Giancarlo Fisichella in 2003, with the nod going to reigning Formula Nippon champ Ralph Firman.

The 27-year old has signed a three-year agreement with the Silverstone-based team and will make his Formula One debut in the Australian Grand Prix on 9 March. The son of respected Van Diemen founder Ralph Firman Sr, he beat off competition from fellow countryman Gary Paffett and Brazilian Felipe Massa to secure the last remaining seat in Formula One for the coming season.

Firman enters Formula One as the reigning Formula Nippon champion, having previously won the prestigious British Formula Three Championship and FIA F3 World Cup in Macau in 1996. A champion kart racer, Firman is also a former winner of the McLaren Autosport Young Driver of the Award.

After an initial seat-fitting in the Jordan-Ford EJ13 at the team's Silverstone base yesterday, Firman is now preparing for his first test with the team, which will be held at Valencia's Ricardo Tormo circuit next week. His only previous F1 outings have been during tests with both McLaren and BAR, but team boss Eddie Jordan is convinced that Firman has what it takes to make it in the top flight.

"He may be a rookie in F1 terms, but Ralph brings a lot of racing experience and a formidable track record along with his enthusiasm and commitment," the charismatic Irishman explained, "I'm impressed with his very cool and disciplined approach, and I have a lot of confidence that he and Fisichella will be an awesome partnership on the track. The news that Ralph has joined us, allied to other important developments, means that Jordan-Ford is a force to be reckoned with in 2003, and I can't wait for the season to start."

Firman only entered the race to partner Fisichella relatively late in the day, with Massa, Enrique Bernoldi and Eddie Irvine all more strongly favoured when it became apparent that the seat was the only one left vacant for 2003. BAR test driver Anthony Davidson, Irishman Richard Lyons and Paffett were all also under consideration by the team, which requires its second driver to bring much-needed finance to secure his seat.

"I am thrilled to have this chance to race in Formula One, especially as it is with Jordan, one of the few teams to have won grands prix in recent years," Firman commented, "It's also a team that has brought many notable names into Formula One, and I can see that it's an extremely friendly and professional operation."

His lack of F1 experience does not appear to be a problem for the Norfolk-born racer, who has five years of FNippon experience to call upon.

"Although this will be my first season, I have worked hard to build up my experience whilst racing in Japan, so, although F1 will be something new, I feel ready and quite comfortable with it," he confirmed, "I am really looking forward to going to Melbourne next month."

Firman, who was born on 20 May 1975, will have appealed to his new team boss for another reason too - as he holds dual nationality, with a British father and Irish mother. His father, Ralph Firman Sr, also has F1 experience, as he was a mechanic for triple world champion Emerson Fittipaldi before founding the famous Van Diemen racing car constructor.