Jordan saddened by Jaguar demise.

Eddie Jordan has sent his commiserations to employees at Jaguar Racing on hearing that the team is to be withdrawn from Formula One at the end of the season.

Parent company Ford - which currently supplies Jordan with engines - announced earlier today [Friday] that it was to shut down all of its Formula One operations, with Jaguar Racing and the Cosworth engine concern being sold off. The decision comes at the end of a financial review within the Blue Oval, and features alongside a restructuring of the Jaguar road car concern which will cost over a thousand jobs in Britain.

Eddie Jordan has sent his commiserations to employees at Jaguar Racing on hearing that the team is to be withdrawn from Formula One at the end of the season.

Parent company Ford - which currently supplies Jordan with engines - announced earlier today [Friday] that it was to shut down all of its Formula One operations, with Jaguar Racing and the Cosworth engine concern being sold off. The decision comes at the end of a financial review within the Blue Oval, and features alongside a restructuring of the Jaguar road car concern which will cost over a thousand jobs in Britain.

"My thoughts are with the staff at [the Jaguar plant at] Browns Lane, Cosworth and the Jaguar Racing team as they take this in," Jordan said in sympathy, the future of his own team far from rosy, "We're saddened by the news as we've enjoyed competing against Jaguar Racing, and we have shared the same engine partner for the last two years."

Although Jordan has been supplied by Ford for the past two seasons, it was being tipped to team up with another manufacturer - possibly Toyota - should it survive into 2005. Today's announcement would indicate that there would be little option but to change partner, but Jordan would not be drawn on the speculation.

"We will presently analyse our position with regard to engines," he said in a prepared statement, "However, on a slightly happier note, I'm proud that history will record Jordan as the last team to win for Ford in its current campaign, when Giancarlo Fisichella triumphed at the Brazilian Grand Prix 2003."

Jaguar Racing will see out the season, beginning with next weekend's Chinese Grand Prix, as a buyer is sought for the team. Drinks brand Red Bull and F3000 champions Arden have both been linked to the team in recent months.

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