Ford chief backs Jaguar

Ford chief executive Sir Nick Scheele said the company will continue to be committed to the Jaguar Racing team. There were rumours the car giant would discontinue its Formula One efforts after Jac Nasser, Scheele's predecessor, stepped down. But Scheele believes that despite early mistakes, Jaguar have the resources available to it to become winners.

"There is absolutely no question I want to see us winning in F1," he said in Autosport magazine. "You look at the history of Jaguar and it is a winner. Jaguar is going to win in F1 and we are committed to it. We had some mistakes at the start, but we have got the fundamentals in place. We have put the technology behind it and we will continue to commit the resources."

"People talk about money and say money is what works in F1, but money is no good if you don't have brainpower behind it. It is brainpower we can bring to bear and we have got the finest research establishments in the motor industry in the world and we can harness the power of it. I want to see them harnessed to win."

Former team owner Sir Jackie Stewart, who's Stewart Racing Jaguar took over in 1999, is also supportive of the struggling team despite the lack of performance so far this year. Stewart is confident that Jaguar team boss Niki Lauda is heading in the right direction and dismissed suggestion that he was being lined up to take over.

"Niki took over at a difficult time for the team last year but I have every confidence in his ability to get things right," he commented in the British press. "He has made changes and I'm sure we will see the benefits in due course. He will take the team in the right direction. I have an extended contract concerning the commercial side at Jaguar and that is my sole role. Niki is very much the boss of the racing team."