Jordan not planning to replace Sato

Eddie Jordan said he has no plans to replace Takuma Sato in the team now that the partnership with Honda is coming to an end. Jordan announced yesterday, after Honda revealed the termination of their agreement, that the team had signed a three year deal with Ford for Cosworth engines. Honda were keen to support Sato as part of its F1 future but now there are doubts over his seat with Honda's absence.

Jordan would not say for definite his pans but as of the moment at least, he has not decided on drivers for next year: "Takuma is a Jordan driver, he has a Jordan contract. Of course when the dust settles a bit we will discuss that because he is also a part of the Honda dream."

"If Honda want to do something directly, and they come to us like we came to them with regard to the release on the engine, we will talk to them. But I have no plans at the moment to replace Sato. I think he is a really quick driver."

Sato has had a mixed season and has been involved in some heavy shunts and while he is quick he lacks experience. Giancarlo Fisichella is presumed to be staying with Jordan but Eddie Irvine and former Jordan driver Heinz-Harald Frentzen have both been linked with the team.

Frentzen was Eddie Jordan's first choice to replace Fisichella after the Italian had a heavy crash in France, despite the German being sacked from the team just last year. Jordan's main sponsors, DHL, would be happy to see a German driver while it's been speculated that Benson and Hedges, other sponsors, would like a British driver.