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Pantano Tests for Jordan but No Deal Yet

Italian Giorgio Pantano moved closer to securing the last available Formula One drive by testing Jordan's new car in Spain on Tuesday.

Italian Giorgio Pantano moved closer to securing the last available Formula One drive by testing Jordan's new car in Spain on Tuesday.

However, no announcement was forthcoming, despite the 25-year-old telling Italy's Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper earlier that a deal was '99 percent certain'.

A team spokeswoman said he completed some 35 laps at the southern Jerez circuit.

"Giorgio did drive the car today but we're still talking to him and other drivers," she said.

The only other driver to have driven the new EJ14 is Nick Heidfeld, the German who already has a contract for the new season starting on March 7 in Australia.

Pantano was German Formula Three champion in 2000 and runner-up in the 2002 F3000 standings. He has tested previously with McLaren, Williams and Benetton but his career has been slowed by a lack of financial backing.

Jordan are the only team yet to finalise their driver line-up but they have until the Thursday before the first race in Melbourne to do so.

The fact that Pantano has tested the new car while other contenders have not, including Briton Ralph Firman who drove for Jordan last year, could be seen as an indication of how close he was to a deal.

Pantano told the Gazzetta that he had also come close to securing a drive with Jaguar before young Austrian Christian Klien, heavily backed by energy brand Red Bull, stepped in.

"I was already convinced that the seat was mine, also because they told me they'd preferred a driver with a bit of experience. In reality they were just aiming for the money and Klien offered a lot more of it," he said.

Pantano said he did not intend taking any risks in the Jordan test.

"I just want to show the team that I know how to drive an F1 car, that I deserve this car," he said. "Racing in F3000 I learnt that the secret of success is fitting in with the team. (Michael) Schumacher wins because he has an extraordinary understanding with his men."

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