 Verstappen drove for Minardi last season |
Jos Verstappen has pulled out of talks with team Jordan, apparently ending his hopes of staying in Formula One. The Dutch driver announced a break down in negotiations on his website, but did not reveal his plans for 2004.
"We all did our utmost to get an agreement, but at the moment it is no use to continue," said Verstappen.
Backers had issued an ultimatum to the Jordan team to sign the 31-year-old, who would have brought in around �5m in much-needed sponsorship.
But an official statement read: "After lengthy study of all related contracts, the sponsors and management of Jos Verstappen decided this morning to break off the ongoing talks with Jordan.
"The points of the contract presented by Jordan gave insufficient confidence in a successful cooperation in the coming season."
Verstappen, who partnered Michael Schumacher at Benetton in 1994 when the German won the first of his six titles, drove for struggling Minardi last year, scoring no points.
Jordan are the only F1 team not to have finalised their line-up for the coming season, which starts in Melbourne on 7 March.