Jodie Marsh sets pulses racing as new face of F1.

Top British model and TV star Jodie Marsh was unveiled as a hot new face for Formula One, marking the release of Sony Computer Entertainment's latest racing hit, Formula One 2003 for PlayStation2.

The game is the first to benefit from a four-year exclusive licence with Formula One Administration Ltd, meaning that it features every team, driver and car livery for the 2003 FIA F1 world championship. Formula One 2003 is now the only game to feature the radical new rules for the current season, and this level of authenticity extends to the new race weekend regulations, where Friday involves the initial qualifying; Saturday the one shot qualifying ahead of Sunday's race, offering racing fans a unique opportunity to step into the new shoes of their heroes.

Thanks to help from the Jordan team, a London-based studio was converted into a glamorous Formula One set for the photo-call with March that accompanied the game's launch.

"Jodie seemed a natural fit to launch Formula One 2003 in true F1 style," David Wilson, head of PR for Sony Computer Entertainment UK explained, "With a new wave of excitement surrounding the sport, and our signing of a four-year exclusive licence with Formula One, this is an exciting time. We're confident Formula One will prove as much as a hit with F1 fans as Jodie Marsh will launching it."

Asked whether her face would be the next to transform the world's most glamorous sport, Marsh admitted to having been a fan of racing - and that she could get used to the jet-set.

"I've always been a huge motorsport fan, so the chance to help launch of the official Formula One 2003 game was too fun an opportunity to miss," she revealed, "PlayStation has invited me to this year's British GP, so I look forward to get a real taste for the incredibly alluring lifestyle."

Formula One 2003 is available from all normal retail outlets from Friday 11 July.