By Huw Alban
July 21 2002

In free practice yesterday, the Jordan driver Giancarlo Fisichella suffered a massive accident. Under advice from medical experts the Italian was not to take any further part in the French Grand Prix weekend, and Jordan approached Heinz-Harald Frentzen to fill his shoes. It has already been well documented that Arrows will not be competing at the French Grand Prix, due to ongoing discussions to secure the team’s long term future. Eddie Jordan immediately sought to secure the German’s services so that two Jordans could start the race today.

The UK TV station, ITV, confirmed today that Heinz-Harald Frentzen refused the offer from Eddie Jordan, due to an ongoing dispute between the two. The German was controversially dropped by Jordan last year, just before his home Grand Prix, and Frentzen has been pursuing his old team through the courts for loss of earnings.

It was also revealed that the move did not meet the approval of all the teams up and down the grid – something that the FIA insisted on yesterday, when they approved Jordan’s request.