Arrows insist Hamidy is staying put

The star aerodynamicist was reportedly on his way to close rivals Jordan - and perhaps even prepared to take "gardening leave" like Mike Gascoyne, the departing Jordan technical director, who he is said to be replacing.

But at Indianapolis, Arrows technical director Mike Coughlan said he expected Hamidy to remain at the team until the end of 2001.

"Eghbal is an honest man. I fully expect him to finish his contract so he should effectively stay for the design of the new car and the gestation period thereafter," he said.

"Whether that will happen I don't know.

"And we have such strength in depth I don't think any one person leaving would affect the outcome at Arrows."

Hamidy is highly rated and given some of the credit for the design of the A21 which has been occasionally competitive.

"And there are people at Arrows who believe they are smarter than Eghbal," continued Coughlan. "Maybe they are not but is they way they feel, they're sportsmen.

"Every man who competes at a high level, who really wants to compete, has to believe he is the best. When Eghbal does finally leave there will be a period of time when we will just be able to recover.

"I don't see it as a big hiccup at all."