Lauda plans Jaguar funding

According to Autosport's sister title Autocar, Lauda's pledge comes as part of a five-year plan that has been instigated to ensure that the Big Cat team, which entered F1 last year after Ford bought Stewart Grand Prix, remains accountable for itself.

Jaguar plans to build 200,000 production cars next year, profits from which will help to supplement its F1 budget. Extra funding will also have to be sought from outside sponsors, such as the Milton Keynes-based team's current backers HSBC, Becks beer and American telecommunications company AT&T.

Lauda's keeness to make Jaguar the master of its own fate comes after grey areas concerning who has overall say have caused problems at the team before.

Power struggles are thought to have contributed to the rift which led to the sacking of former Jaguar Racing CEO Bobby Rahal's earlier this year. While Rahal was thought to have been appointed by Ford boss Jac Nasser, Lauda was brought in by Jaguar Cars chairman Wolfgang Reitzle.