Jaguar trumpeted a first round legal victory over Formula One rivals McLaren today in what could be a long-running battle to secure the services of top designer Adrian Newey.
Jaguar said they and parent company Ford had secured an injunction in the London High Court against McLaren, preventing that team from employing Newey beyond the expiration of his current contract next year.
"The terms of this injunction restrain McLaren International from entering into or continuing any contract of employment with Adrian Newey post 31 July 2002," the Jaguar statement said.
McLaren had moments earlier issued their own statement, clarifying what they called a "variety of incorrect statements" about Newey's career moves.
The clash between the two teams, one bankrolled by Ford and the other partnered by DaimlerChrysler-owned Mercedes, erupted last week when Jaguar announced a major coup and said Newey had signed a binding contract.
Within hours, however, McLaren replied with a statement saying Newey, architect of cars that have brought in 12 world drivers and constructors titles for Williams and McLaren since 1990, had changed his mind and was staying.
McLaren acknowledged today that Jaguar had "at one point" convinced Newey to join but added that "at no time in the discussions regarding Adrian's contract extension were McLaren aware of any binding contract between Adrian and Jaguar."
Jaguar boss Bobby Rahal, an American who worked with Newey in Indy Cars in the 1980s, said the argument could rumble on for months and he saw no reason to let go.
Speaking at a news conference ahead of Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix, Rahal spoke of the meeting which discussed Toyota's swoop for Minardi technical director Gustav Brunner.
"There's an interesting quote here from Ron," he said.
"'It does not matter how big a company is or whether it is an employer or an employee, when you enter into a contract agreement or an agreement that is effectively a contract, they should honour it unless the parties agree to end it or change it.'
Rahal said he had been talking to Newey about a move almost since he arrived at Jaguar late last year.
"I think that friendship is always based on trust and good faith and obviously I personally feel that both have been severely damaged in this situation," said the American.
"But it's not being a jilted lover or anything like that, this is not an emotional thing. I'm a big boy, and life has all these kinds of things, ups and downs.
"Sure its a disappointment from a personal sense but that's just part of life and you go on."
Both Rahal and Pollock saw little scope for the ruling FIA to get involved in the matter while the situation took another new twist today with a report in Britain's Autosport magazine that Newey could quit Formula One altogether.
It quoted sources as saying that Briton Newey could design McLaren's 2002 and 2003 cars before pursuing other projects, including designing an America's Cup yacht. -Reuters