Jaguar denies Hakkinen talks for 2002

The German tabloid Bild has claimed that Jaguar's Niki Lauda twice met with Hakkinen's management over the British Grand Prix weekend at Silverstone. It reports that the Coventry marque has made him an offer of a two-year contract, paying him £12million per season.

Jaguar, however, has responded by saying it has made no such approach for 2002, as its driver line-up is already settled. It admitted, however, that it is currently looking at its long-term options.

"There is absolutely no truth in today's story in Bild which states that Jaguar Racing has offered Mika Hakkinen a contract for next year," said Nav Sidhu, Jaguar Racing's communications and public affairs manager. "We have said time and time again that our 2002 driver line-up will be Eddie Irvine and Pedro de la Rosa and nothing has changed on that front.

"Just as the case was a few weeks ago with the Jenson Button and Jacques Villeneuve speculation, it seems that absolutely any discussion we have with other drivers about their long-term contractual status is automatically being positioned by some media as firm contract negotiations for the 2002 season.

"Our line-up for next year is fixed but it's no secret that we are looking at our options for 2003 onwards just as many other teams in the business are doing. It's par for the course and far too much is being read into what are perfectly normal discussions for the distant future," he added.

The troubled Finn scored his first Grand Prix win of the season in Sunday's British round, and is currently in negotiations with McLaren over extending his contract by another season.