Grapevine: Frentzen Signing Could Spark Arrows Row

The expected decision of former Jordan star Heinz-Harald Frentzen to join Arrows is set to begin a fight between the team's current tense pairing for the second seat in 2002.

Frentzen's manager, Monte Field, revealed on Thursday that his German driver is closing in on a deal to race with Arrows in 2002 and hinted that Arrows may retain Brazilian driver Enrique Bernoldi over already-signed Jos Verstappen.

"To say a deal is agreed is perhaps a little premature," said Field of Frentzen's position. "We are very much in contact with each other and we have been talking for a long time. We are working towards it."

But Arrows will now face a fight with Verstappen if they plan to replace him to hold onto the important Red Bull sponsorship money with which Bernoldi is associated. Verstappen's manager, Huub Rothengatter, claims Arrows have not been in contact with him about next year, and to him that means Verstappen will line up alongside Frentzen next year.

Commenting on suggestions that Frentzen is set to sign, he said: "That means that the team has decided to have the driver pairing of Jos and Heinz-Harald Frentzen next year. Jos is more than happy with that.

"We don't have any indications that Arrows are looking to replace Jos. We have a Tom Walkinshaw signed deal and although everything is possible, we don't expect a problem."

To replace Verstappen, the team would have to make a financial settlement because of their decision to re-sign Verstappen in the middle of this season. The team would not confirm Frentzen's imminent signing, or who he would replace, and a spokesperson merely added: "We still haven't revealed our driver line-up for 2002 and will make the announcement in due course."