Eddie Jordan yesterday admitted Jarno Trulli's ties to Benetton boss Flavio Briatore were a major factor in his decision to replace the Italian with compatriot Giancarlo Fisichella next year.
Jordan had battled to hold on to Trulli who has become a major force in his two years with the Irish squad. But just when a renewed contract had been agreed, the team announced current Benetton driver Fisichella as their lead driver for 2002.
Yesterday, Jordan explained that Trulli's ties to Briatore and Renault and the sudden availability of Fisichella on a long-term deal had swung him in favour of Fisichella, who last raced with Jordan in 1997.
"I thought the situation with Jarno had been tied down," Jordan admitted. "There were a couple of niggly things I wasn't happy about but I was less happy that he would have come to us for one year with his contract being held by Renault.
"The opportunity came up to take Giancarlo for a three-year deal when Renault didn't take up his option and that made a lot more sense to Jordan."
The increasing dominance by Briatore of the driver is an issue which has raised eyebrows in the paddock, with some questioning the ability of a team principal - as Briatore is at Renault - to control the destinies of a stable of drivers which until last week featured not only Trulli and Fischella but also highly-regarded young Spaniard Fernando Alonso and F3000 driver Mark Webber, who was recently tipped for a race drive in 2002.
"It's difficult enough to run a team," said Jordan of his recent negotiations with Briatore over Trulli's future. "But when a driver as good and as nice as Jarno is managed by Flavio who has another link to another team that brings up a conflict and becomes difficult to accept."
Trulli's loss will have been felt even more keenly yesterday as Jordan watched his star driver at spectacular work around the daunting Spa Francorchamps circuit in preparation for tomorrow's Belgian Grand Prix.
The pleasure of seeing the Italian posting the the second fastest time in free practice will surely have been tempered by the knowledge that Trulli will next year be working for Briatore and Renault.
For the moment, however, Trulli is with Jordan and represents the team's best hope of clawing their way out of the trough the team has ploughed in recent months. Yesterday in the morning's dry conditions and the rain-soaked afternoon hour, Trulli looked in electric form.
Meanwhile, the Italian's team-mate, Jean Alesi, finished the day ninth, behind Jaguar's Eddie Irvine and Williams' Ralf Schumacher.
