Frentzen to deputise for injured Fisichella.

In a bizarre twist, former Jordan employee Heinz-Harald Frentzen has been asked to stand-in for the injured Giancarlo Fisichella in tomorrow's French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours.

The German split acrimoniously with Eddie Jordan's eponymous equipe last season, with threatened legal proceedings between the pair, before signing with the Arrows team for 2002. However, with the latter currently engaged in frantic negotiations regarding a possible takeover, Frentzen was only able to complete one timed lap in qualifying at Magny-Cours, and missed the cut, leaving himself free to take up the substitute's roles with his former employer.

Fisichella was involved in a heavy shunt during morning free practice at the French circuit, and had to be taken to nearby Nevers Hospital for a brain scan before he was allowed to return to the Jordan garage. Although the scan showed little lasting damage, the Italian was advised by Professor Sid Watkins to sit out both qualifying and the race in order to prevent any further problems after reporting that he had no recollection of the incident.

Although it initially appeared that Jordan would run just the one car, for Fisichella's team-mate Takuma Sato, the team later made an appeal to race stewards Bryan Brophy, Mumtaz Tahincioglu and Jean-Claude Cresp to replace the Italian with the under-employed Frentzen. The plea has been provisionally accepted.

"The stewards of the meeting have received a request from the DHL Jordan Honda team to substitute Heinz-Harald Frentzen as driver of car number nine (formerly Giancarlo Fisichella), pursuant to article 60 of the FIA 2002 Formula One Sporting Regulations," confirmed an official statement.

"The stewards considered the circumstances to beforce majeure and are satisfied as to the competency of Heinz-Harald Frentzen.

"Provided that there are no contractual difficulties and provided that all teams competing in the 2002 French Grand Prix agree in writing by 9-15am on Sunday 21 July 2002, the stewards permit the change of driver, who will start from the back of the grid."