Cosworth offers Jordan engine deal

BUDAPEST: The Jordan Formula One team has a choice of Cosworth or Honda engines next season after being offered a three-year deal by the Ford-owned company, Cosworth boss Niki Lauda said on Friday.

Lauda, the Jaguar team principal who also oversees Cosworth, told a news conference at the Hungarian Grand Prix that the deal would be similar to that offered to the struggling Arrows team this year.

Jordan currently uses Honda engines and say it has a firm contract for next year.

But the Japanese manufacturer has hinted that it wants to narrow supply to only one team -- British American Racing (BAR) -- from 2003.

Arrows is fighting for its Formula One survival and is absent from Hungary. Lauda said the struggling team had not paid Cosworth, who also power Ford-owned Jaguar, for the 13th race of the season.

Media reports have suggested that the Cosworth engine could be branded as Ford on the Jordan, a curious situation that would see the U.S. carmaker competing directly against its Jaguar marque. However Lauda said that was not the case.

"There is a contract the same as with Arrows where the engine is called the Ford Cosworth," he said.--Reuters