Analysis: Jaguar Clear-Out Freshens Up F1

Jaguar's Eddie Irvine and Pedro de la Rosa may have completed their last laps in Formula One but fans can look forward to being entertained by new faces next season.

Jaguar confirmed on Friday that they had signed Brazilian Antonio Pizzonia and Australian Mark Webber for 2003 in place of Briton Irvine and Spaniard de la Rosa.

Pizzonia, a raw racer from the Amazon city of Manaus, will be a keenly awaited debutant.

His compatriot and CART champion Cristiano da Matta, yet to be confirmed at Toyota, looks sure to be another lively newcomer.

He confirmed in Australia at the weekend that the Germany-based Japanese team had made him an offer and Formula One insiders believe the deal is being held up mainly by unresolved contract and legal details.

Minardi, regular tail-enders with a reputation for nurturing talent, have two vacant slots available and could introduce more fresh faces as replacements for Webber and underperforming Malaysian Alex Yoong.

Jordan Option

The highly-paid Irvine, who turns 37 this month, appears to be running out of options to keep him on the grid.

The colourful Ulsterman said recently that he had three alternatives - words taken to refer to staying at Jaguar, returning to his former team Jordan and retirement.

Now he only has two at most and it may be just one since Jordan, with Italian Giancarlo Fisichella and Japan's Takuma Sato under contract, have done little to encourage the speculation.

"There are no discussions to change what is already in place," said a Jordan spokeswoman today.

Sources close to the driver said he had no deal in place at present, but he told Britain's Sun newspaper that Jaguar's decision "doesn't really affect my plans for the future."

Likewise, with all teams other than Minardi having their positions covered, there appears to be nowhere for de la Rosa to turn to as a Formula One racer.

The 31-year-old lost his drive at Arrows shortly before the start of the 2001 season and joined Jaguar as a test driver before replacing Brazilian Luciano Burti after four races.

For Spanish fans, generally more interested in motorcycling than Formula One, the hurt will be tempered by the return to race action of Fernando Alonso.

The youngster, a Minardi driver in 2001, has spent the last season impressing his bosses as Renault test driver and replaces Briton Jenson Button at the French team.

Brazilian Felipe Massa, out of a job at Sauber, joins Toyota's Briton Allan McNish and Finn Mika Salo in the queue for the exit door.

The top three teams - Ferrari, Williams and McLaren - are the only ones sure to remain unchanged for 2003.

Jaguar, Toyota and Minardi will all start the New Year with an all-new line up, while financially-threatened Arrows remain in limbo but have lost German Heinz-Harald Frentzen to Sauber anyway.

Button has moved to partner Canadian Jacques Villeneuve at British American Racing, while France's Olivier Panis has left the British-based team for Toyota.