It is understood Cosworth, the Ford-owned engine specialist, will agree to supply Jordan next season if Honda cancels its association with the yellow team.

The claims of a new association between the two surfaced recently when Honda chiefs hinted that the Japanese giant would be cutting back its supply programme to just one partner (BAR) in 2002.

Cosworth currently builds and supplies works engines for the Ford-owned Jaguar-Racing and supplies the same specification units to Arrows on a customer basis. Jordan being added to Cosworth’s books would mean it would also have to pay for the units – a burden the team has not had to bear with Honda because the engines are supplied on a works basis and are therefore free of charge.

Jordan was last associated with Cosworth in 1991 – the year the team came into the sport.