I Deserved F1 Drive, Says Pantano

Italian driver Giorgio Pantano says he deserves to be in Formula One, but admits that without sponsorship backing he would have not landed the second Jordan seat for the 2004 season.

"It would be foolish to deny reality," said Pantano of the fact that he had to pay for the Jordan drive. "Lately people look a lot at this aspect. And it's right, because there are teams with difficulties.

"In any case, I think I've deserved this opportunity: it's not by chance that Jordan looked for me last year too. I don't deny, however, that my hiring has been eased thanks to the sponsors I brought."

The 25-year-old will make his debut at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 7 alongside German teammate Nick Heidfeld. Pantano, who won the 2000 German Formula Three title, had already made his Formula One debut some years ago, having tested previously for McLaren, Williams and Benetton.

The Italian, however, was unable to find a seat and spent three years in F3000, finishing eighth in 2001, runner-up in 2002, and third last year.

"I followed the classic path. First in kart, where I was always at the top, then Formula 3000. In the middle of that I also had some tests in F1 cars, like the one with McLaren-Mercedes in 2001," Pantano told Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper.

"You want to know something? Well, I wouldn't do it again. To test a car like that, with no project behind it, but just for the sake of testing it for a couple of days, was an error. I shouldn't have accepted to do those two testing days. At the end of the day, what was the point of it?"

Pantano predicted that he will have a lot of work with Jordan in order to be competitive in 2004.

"To be competitive we must work hard and well. Anyway, this is a team with a big tradition, launching great drivers and winning. Like Fisichella managed to do last year. I want to learn quickly and to work in harmony with my team," he said.