Sacked Lauda slams Jaguar

SACKED Niki Lauda hit out at an English conspiracy after being dumped as Jaguar Racing’s team chief yesterday.

But the three-time world drivers' champion added he was still considering an offer to carry on a special adviser to the team.

The Austrian's 15-month tenure as team principal ended after parent company Ford decided he did not have enough technical expertise to lead the Milton Keynes-based outfit's bid to climb up the Formula One grid.

Lauda's departure was announced as the two new drivers he signed Australia's Mark Webber and Brazilian rookie Antonio Pizzonia got their Jaguar careers underway with a test session in Barcelona.

''Honestly, the decision did surprise me there was no criticism of the way I work, or whatever,'' said Lauda who has also lost his role as the head of Ford's Premier Performance Division, who oversee the Formula One operation.

''But what you've got to know is that in England things work differently. Britons do have their unique way of solving problems.

''They saw away at the legs of a chair nobody talks about anything because they of course all stick together until they get what they want.

''I was always aware that that's how it works and now it's happened. I am neither an engineer nor an Englishman and that's why it's easy for me to accept being replaced.

''I've now got to consider whether to accept their offer of continuing to work for Ford.''

Lauda has been asked to act as a special adviser, a role which would see him working with the current drivers and spotting future talent.

''I would not agree that Niki has failed in any way,'' said Richard Parry-Jones, overall head of Ford's Formula One programme.

''The most important thing in Formula One by a large margin is technical depth. And Niki, for whom I have enormous respect, does not have that technical depth.

''If you don't get the technical bit right, it really doesn't matter much if you get everything else right.

''I have asked Niki to fulfil the role of special advisor to me and I very much hope he will accept the post.''

Lauda's role as head of PPD will be taken by Tony Purnell, another Jaguar employee, as Jaguar seek their fifth team principal in less than three years. The 53-year-old replaced Bobby Rahal during the 2001 season, the American having followed Jackie Stewart, Britain's three-time former world champion whose team was renamed Jaguar after he sold it to Ford, and Neil Ressler.

''We recognise that it is a key appointment and we do not want to leave it open for very long,'' added Parry-Jones.

But finding a team chief with the technical expertise is not going to be easy with most of the leading contenders already contracted.

Rahal's failure to sign design guru Adrian Newey from McLaren was a factor in him being replaced while Ross Brawn, the man who has masterminded so many of Michael Schumacher's victories, is tied to Ferrari until the end of 2004.

Lauda's departure comes just weeks after Ford reaffirmed their £100 million-plus commitment to the team though just days ago Jaguar announced they would be shedding between 40 and 60 jobs in their F1 operation because of the economic climate.

The team made a heavily-hyped entry into the World Championship in 2000 after buying Stewart Grand Prix, a team who enjoyed their maiden victory in 1999, but the 'Big Cat' has so far failed to roar.

Jaguar managed just four points in their first season and nine in 2001 while the eight points they picked up last season left them seventh in the manufacturers' standings.

Their technical director was sacked before the start of last season when a serious design flaw was discovered in the car, though there were signs of improved competitiveness towards the end of the campaign with Eddie Irvine finishing third in Italy.

Irvine, who scored all the team's points, and Pedro de la Rosa were released at the end of the season to be replaced by Webber, who has had just one season with Minardi, and newcomer Pizzonia.