Jaguar Seal Arrows Wind Tunnel Deal

Jaguar will purchase the Arrows team's Bedford wind tunnel after team bosses agreed terms on a reported £10 million deal, according to sources at Jaguar.

But Jaguar team boss Niki Lauda's move is not expected to produce the immediate impact he is hoping for, because the team will have to wait four months before the official hand-over is completed.

"It has moved us forward at best one year," said the Jaguar source. "It will help with developments in 2002 and 2003, but probably will not have an effect on the chassis until 2004."

The tunnel is far from "state of the art". It was built 50 years ago, and only has updated technology up to the levels of the top teams of 1994. But it has the advantage of being local to the team's factory, about 20 miles away, unlike the current tunnel they use, which is across the Atlantic in southern California.

The team were believed to be planning to move to an all-in facility, but that is now in doubt because of the money put into the purchase of the new tunnel. They will move to a Reynard-designed tunnel in Brackley in four months time while they set up the new tunnel and equip it with the latest equipment.

Jaguar's Eddie Irvine has consistently called for a new wind tunnel throughout the season, but although it is a step in the right direction, the source added: "It is pretty obvious that there is more pressure for Jaguar to do well."