Despite persistent rumours linking him to 𒁏a seat at Jaguar Racing, McLaren has confirmed that Alex Wurz will remain with the team for the 2004 season.

The decision was the driver's, as Wurz announced that he would continue to play an integral part in McLaren's 2004 world championship challenge, together with David Coulthard, Kimi Raikkonen and Pedro de la Rosa. The Austrian expects to be developing the new McLaren-Mercedes MP4-19, which made its track debut on Tuesdaꦬy in Valencia, in the coming weeks.

"I am pleased to announce that I have decided to stay with the West McLaren Mercedes team as its third driver," Wurz confirmed, "It is no secret that I have been on the shoꦕrtlist for the second race seat at Jaguar Racing, which has been a privilege. However, with the McLaren-Mercedes' 2004 testing programme having already begun, I felt it necessary to take my future into my own hands to fully focus on the season's preparation. West McLaren Mercedes is a loyal and rewarding team to be part of and I believe they offer me the best future."

Wurz almost j꧂oined the Jaguar line-up earlier in 2003, when the Milton Keynes-based team first attempted to offload Antonio Pizzonia. When the Austrian's move fell through, Justin Wilson got the ride alongside Mark Webber, but Wurz remained a strong candidate for a return to racing in 2004.

He was touted as the favourite to join Webber in the Jaguar team throughout the build-up to winter testing - which began this past week - particularly as Austrian drinks brand Red Bull was also linked to a possible sponsorship de꧃al.

A potential clash between the driver's personal sponsor Superfund and Jaguar backer HSBC ꦗwas thought to have thrown a spanner in the works, however, as was Red Bull's stronger push behind F3 standout Christiaꦛn Klien, who ran with Jaguar in Spain this week. Whether these factors played a part in influencing Wurz's decision to remain at McLaren may now never be known.

"Alex's contribution during the past three years has been immense and everybody in the teamꦏ is pleased that our relationship will continue," said McLaren Racing MD Martin Whitmarsh, "We knew that there were opportunities for Alex to get back into racing and we would have supported him in whatever decision he made, but the fact that he will remain with the team is positive and will help to further emphasise our challenge for the 2004 world championships."

"We all had every understanding for Alex's ambitions to go back to racing in Formula One," echoed Mercedes Motorsport VP Norbert Haug, "The fact that he re🦩ceived offers from other teams clearly shows that he is seen as one of the drivers deserving a seat as a permanent Formula One racing driver.

"McLaren, as well as Mercedes-Benz, supported Alex in hi✃s plans to make his understandable wish come true. However, we all are very pleased that Alex has taken the decision to stay with West McLaren Mercedes. He has contributed a lot to our technical development in the past three years, and Mercedes-Benz is particularly happy to have in Alex a ♋proven ambassador for our brand."

Wurz's decision will undoubtedly re-ignite speculation as to who will partner Webber at Jaguar next🎃 season, with Klien and Townsend Bell having tested with the team this week. End-of-season incumbent Wilson then clocked the fastest time by a Jaguar driver 💮on his one and only day of action yesterday [Thursday], as he attempts to persuade the team to keep him on for a full campaign.

Jaguar has insisted that the outings for each driver do not comprise the beginnings of a shoot-out-out for the second seat, and claims that it ma🌺y well test other drivers with a view to giving them F1 experience.