AUGUST 2, 2003

Jordan and Mr Justice Langley

Jordan Grand Prix has run into hot water over its handling of the lawsuit with Vodafone. Jordan had been trying to claim $150m in damages from Vodafone over a supposed sponsorship deal but the team announced late yesterday that it was dropping the case. But the judge Mr Justice Langley was not happy and dismissed a last-minute application for the case to be discontinued despite the fact that Jordan has offered to pay Vodafone's costs. The judgement is due to be announced on Monday afternoon and Mr Justice Langley said that Jordan's action was "stifling the court from publicly announcing its decision".

The judge said Jordan's attempt to drop the case was "designed to create a serious injustice which this court should not tolerate". Jordan is now trying to find a judge who will listen to an appeal.

Jordan's lawyers argued that if the judgement was published it could do damage to the team's business.

But Mr Justice Langley is unlikely to be impressed by that argument. He is no stranger to controversy and last year presided over a case last year in which the Football League claimed to be owed $280m by ITV Digital's parent companies Carlton and Granada after the channel went out of business. ITV Digital owned the terrestrial TV rights to British soccer but was unable to make it pay. After hearing the case the judge described the league's case as "just as unpromising at the finish as it was at the start".