MAY 4, 2003

Wurz and McLaren

Alexander Wurz, the McLaren test driver, says that he would like the opportunity to drive for Jaguar, but it is clear that the McLaren team is not going to let him go that easily. Wurz knows that the Jaguar offer may be his last chance to re-establish himself as a Grand Prix driver and after two full years as a test driver he needs to get back into the racing again.

"It has always been my ambition to get back to racing," said Wurz.

McLaren says that the team is talking to Jaguar about a possible deal but is sending out confused messages about its intentions. Jaguar spokesman Nav Siddhu was last week quoted as saying that "I don't think it is a great secret that Antonio's position is under review. There are a lot of things about his performances so far this year that are causing us concern. The level of disparity between his performances and those of his team-mate Mark Webber is alarming."

The team's sporting director John Hogan said in Barcelona that "nobody is holding a gun to Antonio's head".

On Saturday in Barcelona, Ron Dennis of McLaren said that "we would never stand in the way of a racing driver's career and Alexander wants to get back to racing" but Dennis made it clear that a deal must be found between the two teams if Wurz is to move to replace Pizzonia.

Jaguar may want to keep Pizzonia on as a test driver but his management has already made it clear that they are not interested in such an arrangement.