By Phil Giles
February 16 2004

Jos Verstappen's manager Huub Rothengather has had the blame laid firmly at his door for the breakdown in negotiations between Verstappen and Jordan.

Eddie Jordan in a statement on the team's official site said: 'It was a very sad conclusion. We had a good faith agreement with the sponsors who acted positively at all times and it is not good for the sport for such valuable people to be treated this way by an agent.'

Both of Verstappen's sponsors Trust and Muermans acted impeccably, however Rothengather's demands for either exorbitant commission on sponsorship or an outrageous wage were terms that Jordan could not agree to.  Again, Rothengather was to blame for rejecting Jordan's offer to provide Jos with a seat fitting and a fitness assessment. 

"It is very sad that the commitment of both Trust and Muermans to providing the driver with an opportunity to stay in Formula 1 were disregarded by his agent." the site continued.