Lauda quick with the good news

Jaguar team principal Niki Lauda was quick to phone Ford bosses with the news of Eddie Irvine's eighth place in qualifying at the Belgian Grand Prix today. Changes to the front of the R3 saw both Irvine and Pedro de la Rosa give a much improved performance, the Spaniard not far behind Irvine in eleventh. Lauda's days at Jaguar are rumoured to be numbered and he was on the phone straight after the session.

"I have just been on the phone because the good news is always easy to relay," he said. "I'm happy, especially with Eddie being in eighth because we all know that he is a good racer. We have a new front suspension which certainly helped but Eddie and Pedro did a good job and the Michelin tyres helped too."

In regard to the future of Jaguar Racing now that Cosworth will supply Jordan with engines next year, Lauda was confident that his team would be on the grid next year: "Ford is looking to reduce costs and we are trying to help with that," he remarked. "But there is no danger that we are not going to run next year. It is good for the Cosworth group that Jordan will be running next season as, with the Arrows situation, it means that we will definitely have four engines in the field."

As for the future of Eddie Irvine, which remains a mystery so far, Lauda would not comment beyond saying no decision had been made: "There's no decision yet on whether we are going to let Eddie go or not. We are concentrating on getting our car quicker and will decide in next two or three weeks."

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