Ford fails to snatch Schumacher

His team-mate Alex Zanardi also looks set to stay put after an improved performance in Hungary.

Ford approached Schumacher with an offer to join the new Jaguar F1 outfit alongside Eddie Irvine next season. They would have had to buy him out of his Williams contract but Schumacher told Frank Williams he was happy to stay on. Despite the team being uncompetitive this year, the 24-year old believes his team will win again when their new link with BMW begins in 2000.

Schumacher had a reputation for wild driving and inconsistency before this season, but his value has soared since he joined the Grove team. The German has been quicker than Zanardi and put in some determined drives in an uncompetitive car.

Zanardi has also been told he will be retained, despite rumours that he will be dumped at the end of the season. The Italian switched to left-foot braking for the Hungarian Grand Prix and looked more competitive than he has so far in 1999, despite retiring early with another differential failure.

With Ralf Schumacher now out of the equation, Ford appear set to sign Ferrari supersub Mika Salo. Heinz-Harald Frentzen refused their offer, while Alex Wurz has decided to stay at Benetton. F3000 champion Nick Heidfeld is also in the frame, as are Stewart protégé Luciano Burti and present Stewart-Ford driver Johnny Herbert. The latter has a contract with the team but could well be dropped after some poor showings this season.

'As far as I'm concerned, I'm driving for Ford in F1 next year,' said Herbert. 'It would cost a lot to buy me out of my contract.'