SEPTEMBER 27, 2002

The McRae money

The news that Colin McRae is to leave the Ford Motor Company's World Rally Championship team will perhaps have some significant effect on the company's involvement in Formula 1. McRae was paid a great deal of money by Ford and his departure to join Citroen will mean that the money - or at least part of it - will be available for Ford to use to support its program with Eddie Jordan - if it chooses to do so.

Jordan's deal with Ford is not as dramatic an arrangement as Eddie Jordan originally painted, but it is nonetheless something which could be useful for Ford and supporting the engine deal does make sense from a marketing point of view.