Only one seat left now.

He to Minardi...
By Phil Giles
January 9 2003

Paul Stoddart today announced that the veteran Dutch driver Jos Verstappen had been signed to take the second race seat at Minardi for the 2003 season. This news means that there is only one race seat left for next year, the second seat alongside Giancarlo Fisichella.

The big question however is who will fill it? Verstappen was the clear favourite of the quite mad Dutch visitors to this site, however his was only one name of at least six drivers vying for the only remaining drive in Formula One for 2003. Names like Bernoldi and Massa may not conjur up the idea of a winning driver, however in the eyes of the team, they do bring the promise of more money and in today's current financial situation, it's money the team could well do with in it's coffers.

However there is a man with an amount of talent and a shed load of cash waiting patiently in the wings and Eddie Irvine has been unusually quiet recently. The Irish Motormouth has all but disappeared off the scene since his recent sacking from Jaguar. A brief "Jordan is my last hope" and nothing more. Could the deal have been done months ago with just the contract signings to go or has Eddie (Who hasn't admitted as such) given up the ghost and decided to retire?

Sponsors Benson and Hedges have been looking for a number of years at Jordan, wanting them to bring a British driver into the fold. The rumour is that they would be prepared to pay Irvine's somewhat reduced salary and increase the amount of their sponsorship. Eddie has three years worth of development experience from Jaguar and would be able to bring an insight into the workings of the Cosworth engine.

As for the fans. Well, Jordan had lost their way a bit over the last few years. The team needs to improve it's popularity with the home fans. Loss of interest in the sport has been such a hot topic over the last few months that the team I hope would be looking at a way of bringing them back to the fore in the eyes of the viewing and let's not forget paying public. Race results are needed and hopefully, the impressively sounding EJ13 will bring them. Fisichella is fast, stable and has a proven race craft. Hopefully, driver two will bring those skills to the team, along with the sponsorship spondooliks that are much needed.

Only time will tell.