Jaguar Still Undecided about Second Driver

Jaguar boss Niki Lauda said today that Jaguar will make a decision on drivers by the end of the season and insisted the team have only one race seat available for 2003.

Spaniard Pedro de la Rosa has a firm contract with the Ford-owned team for next year, and Lauda said that the only question is whether or not Ulsterman Eddie Irvine will stay for next year.

"Pedro has a contact next year so it is our decision on Eddie, not on Pedro and Eddie," said Lauda. "But we have not taken one, so it can go in any direction. Eddie can stay or somebody else...we haven't decided yet.

"There has to be (an announcement before the end of the season) because we start testing in November so we need to have a driver there. But it depends how long it will take."

Australian Mark Webber was an early favourite but his position is understood to have weakened because Anthony Davidson performed so well against him when he replaced Alex Yoong for the Hungarian and Belgian races.

Brazilian Antonio Pizzonia, who currently tests for Williams-BMW, is now in the frame after impressing Lauda in a test at Barcelona last week.

"Pizzonia did a good job," Lauda added. "He was very analytical about the car and he did a good lap time so at this point he was quite impressive."