JUNE 18, 2002

Ford's commitment questioned?

THE FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG is reporting that, despite comments from Ford that the F1 program is safe, the Detroit giant is by no means certain to continue with the Jaguar Racing program. The newspaper quoted Ford's Nick Scheele saying that: "I instructed Richard-Perry Jones to come up with a fundamental analysis. It will be completed in six weeks. Thereafter we will decide whether or not we will continue."

Scheele did add, however, that he would like to see the project continue.

"I'm a racing fan. We want to stay in Formula 1."

But if Parry-Jones comes to the conclusion that getting to the top is only possible at substantial additional expense, he'll have to live with the consequences.

Jaguar racing will have a new aerodynamic package at the British GP.

Scheele said that whatever happens F1 is going to have to become less expensive and offer more of what he called a "racing atmosphere" but Scheele added that he would like to see Bernie Ecclestone molding the future of F1 in league with the car manufacturers.