4 September 2002: Ford bosses are believed to be deciding this week whether they’ll continue to support their Jaguar team in F1. The team has failed in three years to make a serious impression in the competition.

Some 350 jobs are in the balance at the company’s F1 headquarters in Milton Keynes in the UK. Just a week ago, Ford announced a three-year deal to supply the Eddie Jordan team with engines, replacing the Honda power units which have underpinned the yellow-coloured team’s efforts.

The Jaguar team has only won three points in this season’s porgramme. Jaguar brand owner Ford has underpinned the effort to the tune of around E150 million.

The Jaguar adventure was promoted by former Ford boss Jac Nasser, who bought the Stewart Grand Prix team in 1999. Since Nasser’s dismissal, Ford has been taking a hard look at the costs against the benefits of the F1 effort, particularly as Ford itself gains no brand benefit from the competition.