Jaguar Could Have Wilson for Free, Says Manager

Minardi rookie Justin Wilson might be willing to drive for a top team for free next season if it secured his Formula One future, his manager said today.

Jonathan Palmer suggested that a team like Ford-owned Jaguar, who tried to replace under-performing Brazilian Antonio Pizzonia in April, would be an ideal home for the Briton.

"If Jaguar offered him a drive for no salary at all, if that's what they wanted to do and felt it was the best they could do, then one must obviously look at that seriously in view of the potential of the car," he said.

"He wants to be in the most competitive drive he can be for 2004. The chances are that may not be Minardi. Obviously Jaguar is a very attractive team, he knows Mark Webber very well, matched him very well (in Formula 3000) and as a British driver that would be a great thing to see.

"I think Webber and Wilson would make a formidable team. I think it would be great for everybody, for Jaguar and for Britain as well."

Australian Webber joined Jaguar from Minardi at the end of last season and has been a standout success. He extended his contract to the end of 2005 last month. Although struggling Minardi have an option on Wilson for next season, Palmer said he had been talking to several teams.

"But it's probably fair to say that I've had more communication with Jaguar than any other team," he added.

Wilson, 24, has made a promising start with Minardi and has raised 1.2 million pounds ($1.96 million) to help fund the drive by turning himself into a public limited company and selling shares in himself.

His salary is capped this season at 50,000 pounds, rising to 75,000 in 2004 and 100,000 in 2005 with any extra money earned destined to repay shareholders.

"Hopefully I can progress and be in a more competitive environment next year," said Wilson. "That's what (Minardi boss) Paul (Stoddart) is hoping I can do and that's what we're all hoping I can do.

"It'll be sad to leave...but Paul expects me to move on as he did with Mark and Fernando (Alonso). I'm not aware of any talks but Jonathan speaks to quite a number of people and he doesn't always tell me what's been said."

Palmer said that Jaguar's failure to sign McLaren's Austrian test driver Alexander Wurz as a replacement for Pizzonia was also good news for his man.

"If Wurz had come into Jaguar and gone well, then he would have been staying there for 2004," he said. "It is still possible that Pizzonia may raise his game and in which case maybe he can have a longer term future. But at the moment you would probably say it was unlikely."