Jordan confirms Wirdheim for Indy test

Wirdheim's formula one testing has been a confusing issue in recent weeks. He had a day's Jordan running at Monza on 4 September, and was then down to run in the Friday test at the Italian GP before being replaced by Zsolt Baumgartner late in the day. And his expected test with BAR at Jerez last week failed to materialize despite his being present at the circuit.

"I'm delighted to give Björn this opportunity," said team principal Eddie Jordan. "He did a good job for us testing in Monza earlier this month. The last Swedish F1 driver, Stefan Johansson, was my team mate many years ago and I've always had links with Sweden, which is why I'm particularly pleased that we are able to work with Björn at this event."

Wirdheim should be able to make a good contribution to setting up the car on a track which always required compromise between the long straight and the tight infield, but will now be even tougher with the 2003 regulations.

"With qualifying and the race now, where you can't adjust the car in between, it makes it double-difficult," said Jordan technical director Gary Anderson. "Normally you could get a better lap time by running slightly higher downforce, but in the race that would mean being overtaken down the straight - so we could see some excitement in qualifying with a few mistakes down to the cars running with such low downforce.

"We're going into the last two races fighting, intending to drag more points from a taxing season. You never know what is going to happen and hopefully we'll be able to take advantage of whatever drops in front of us and reap the benefits of other people's mistakes."

Ralph Firman, meanwhile, should be fully fit for his return to racing after his heavy crash at Budapest last month. "The most important thing about going to Indianapolis is for me to race after the frustrations of the past few weeks. After my accident in Hungary I really would not have believed that I'd subsequently miss the Italian Grand Prix, but the effects of a 46G impact are obviously quite severe.

"I have not raced at Indianapolis before, but I know it is a unique track and it will be interesting to race on the banked section. From what I have heard Indianapolis is a great place with an amazing atmosphere, so I cannot wait to get there and be behind the wheel at such a famous venue."