Jordan Held Talks with Orange, Deutsche Post

Team boss Eddie Jordan admitted to the High Court on Thursday that he opened discussion with Orange and Deutsche Post over sponsorship deals worth at least $160 million (USD) even after he claims striking a deal with Vodafone, The Times newspaper reported today.

Jordan on Thursday gave evidence for the first time in his £150 million (Pounds) claim against Vodafone, who he claims agreed to a three-year sponsorship deal before defecting to Ferrari.

The Times reported that Jordan admitted under cross-examination that he had hand-written a note outlining an Orange deal worth $165 million (USD) from 2003 to 2005. He also admitted to having preliminary talks with Deutsche Post.

The case hinges on whether a binding agreement was created in a telephone conversation between Jordan and David Haines, Vodafone's global branding director, on March 22, 2001, during which it is claimed that Haines said: "You've got the deal."

Jordan told the court that after the phone call, Haines had repeatedly assured him that he had the deal, and asked that the pact be kept confidential, The Times added.

Jordan is reported to have said he was "shocked" to get a letter from Vodafone saying the deal would still need board approval. "I called David Haines and he said not to worry, and that his decision had been made," the newspaper quoted Jordan as saying.

He added that talks with Orange, who at the time were title sponsors to the now defunct Arrows team, had stemmed from the company's interest in setting up concerts at Grands Prix. Jordan said that Orange had raised the possibility of title sponsorship for his team.

The Times said Charles Aldous, QC, for Vodafone, countered that Jordan's internal memo, handwritten in April, included a list of potential "inducements" to lure Orange from Arrows. Jordan said he had not immediately dismissed the approach from Orange so as not to arouse suspicion that his team had signed a deal with Vodafone.