Grapevine: Irvine Set to Get Jaguar Boot

Jaguar driver Eddie Irvine will be shown the door when Australian Mark Webber completes his expected transfer from Minardi at the end of the season, a source close to the team said on Thursday.

Webber has been tipped to join the Milton Keynes-based team ever since he tested for them earlier in the season, and his Minardi team boss Paul Stoddart admitted last weekend that the deal was "imminent".

Jaguar currently run Spaniard Pedro de la Rosa and Ulsterman Irvine but it is the latter, who is reportedly being paid £6 million per year, that will have to leave, his contract running out at the end of the year.

"Eddie has dropped his price but it is still not low enough," said the source. "Times have changed extremely since he came to within two points of the title with Ferrari in 1999."

Irvine, who was given his chance to shoot for the world title that year after teammate Michael Schumacher broke his leg in a crash at Silverstone in 1999, moved to the Jaguar team in 2000.

He has been tipped to leave the Ford-owned team and join Jordan, who will run with Ford-backed engines next year, but would still be forced by frugal team boss Eddie Jordan to lower his price.

Jordan sponsors Benson and Hedges are keen to bring in a British driver, however, and the source said: "If you were a betting man, you would have to think that the two sides are talking."