Jordan fail to respond to driver deadline

Jordan gave an ultimatum from Dutchman Jos Verstappen the cold-shoulder tonight, leaving their driver line-up for this year still…

Jordan gave an ultimatum from Dutchman Jos Verstappen the cold-shoulder tonight, leaving their driver line-up for this year still to be decided.

Eddie Jordan's struggling team had been given until 4pm to decide whether Verstappen would be one of their drivers.

But a Jordan spokesman said: "There are no plans for any announcements tonight other than a test report. And it is not Jordan policy to comment on possible drivers while any negotiations are taking place."

Cash-strapped Jordan are the only team still to finalise their driver line-up and they had been talking to Verstappen for weeks. The 31-year-old grand prix journeyman would bring around Stg5million in much-needed sponsorship but the attempt to try and force team chief Eddie Jordan's hand could have backfired.

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"Eddie Jordan knows who Jos Verstappen is and Jordan has been made aware of the support and wishes of Jos Verstappen's sponsors," said a statement from Verstappen's backers, Dutch computer manufacturer Trust.

"We have been talking for some time now and we would like to have an answer before 5pm (4pm Irish time) today."

Verstappen, who made his debut in 1994 when he partnered Michael Schumacher at Benetton, had also been in talks with Jaguar and Minardi, for whom he drove last year.

But he missed out on a place at Jaguar and decided he did not want to drive for Minardi which left Jordan as his only option.

That handed the Irishman all the cards in the contract negotiations. If Verstappen has ruled himself out of a drive it should boost the hopes of either Ralph Firman or Allan McNish landing one of the race seats for 2004 and increasing British representation on the grid.

Firman competed for Jordan last year, scoring one point, while McNish has also been in talks with the team. Jordan have recalled Nick Heidfeld for their test in Barcelona this week.

The German is also in contention for a drive after losing his seat at Sauber.