Jordan afraid Formula One is losing its pole position

EDDIE JORDAN has urged his fellow bosses to forget about their own interests if they want to secure the future of Formula One.

The Irishman has warned that the sport has to improve the spectacle if it wants to halt declining viewing figures.

''Something needs to be done,'' said Jordan, who wants to see any changes introduced before the 2003 season opener in Australia next March.

''Doing nothing is clearly not an option. Our show is just not good enough at the moment and there has to be change by Melbourne next year.

''It is going to need some regulation changes. But we are never going to get the teams to agree, we never have in the past, so they will have to be implemented.''

Jordan, along with the other team chiefs, is currently considering a radical nine-point plan proposed by motor racing chiefs Max Mosley and Bernie Ecclestone aimed at stemming declining interest caused by Ferrari's domination this year.

The proposals include having all the drivers racing for every team in the first 10 grands prix of the season and penalising any drivers who get too big a lead in the championship with a weight penalty by adding ballast to his car.

Drivers like Eddie Irvine and Juan Pablo Montoya hit out at the proposed changes.

But Jordan admits they have to be considered before the Formula One Commission, the body that formally makes any official proposals to change the rules to the governing body, FIA, meet at Heathrow Airport later this month.

''It is obvious that Bernie is very concerned about the show,'' added Jordan. ''It is going to be an interesting meeting.

''Changing drivers around is an intriguing if impractical idea at the moment with contracts. I am not trying to push the ballast thing but that is something which could be introduced for 2003 at very little cost.

''It works in horse racing where horses are penalised on the results they have had before and it works in saloon car racing.

''The world's biggest success in any sport is NASCAR. Over 15 million people have watched a race this year. They do have 42 races but it is still a staggering success and NASCAR dominates auto racing in the United States.''

Fellow team chief David Richards also called for immediate action to halt declining television viewing figures.

''We cannot just stand on our hands and do nothing, we have to do something but we have to be very careful about what we do,'' said the British American Racing boss.

Former world champion Jacques Villeneuve will be in Formula One next season, his team chief insisted.

British American Racing boss David Richards quashed renewed speculation that Villeneuve who escaped unhurt from a 140mph smash at Suzuka was returning to the CART series.

But Richards did confirm for the first time that talks had taken place with the Forsythe Racing team in the United States about the Canadian driving for them in 2003 before returning to F1.

Villeneuve, who slammed into a tyre barrier during first practice for Sunday's season-ending grand prix, had refuelled rumours about a return to the series he won in 1995 after visiting last week's race in Florida.

But Richards said: ''From my point of view there is no question about it. Jacques will be driving with us next year and is contracted to us.

Villeneuve was the centre of attention on the track yesterday when he skidded across the circuit and smashed into a tyre-wall after he lost control at Spoon Curve midway through the first session.

The Monaco-based racer was protected by the cockpit survival cell but other parts of the car were sent flying with Ferrari's Michael Schumacher, who was following close behind, forced to pick his way through the debris.

''It was a bigger hit than I thought it was going to be,'' said the 1997 world champion who wound up 19th fastest. ''I am okay but it was a hard one.

Villeneuve's fellow CART champion Juan Pablo Montoya also endured a high-speed crash into the barriers minutes before the end of practice though it did not stop him from finishing fourth quickest.

Finland's Kimi Raikkonen set the quickest time as he finished half-a-second faster than McLaren-Mercedes team-mate David Coulthard with Rubens Barrichello third for Ferrari.

Runaway champion Schumacher, who will bid to become the first driver to finish on the podium in every race in a season on Sunday, was back in sixth place after suffering an hydraulic problem after being fastest in the first session.