Eddie Irvine, Jos Verstappen and Felipe Massa had previously been linked with Jordan, but team boss Eddie Jordan is now ready to reveal Firman tomorrow.

Firman had given up hope of the drive last week.

He flew back to Japan, where he is reigning Formula Nippon champion, last week on the assumption Massa would be given the drive.

But the 27-year-old, who has tested a Formula One car for British American Racing, returned to Britain on Saturday ahead of the excepted announcement.

Firman made his name in the British Formula Three Championship, finishing runner-up in 1995 before taking the title – and the prestigious Macau Grand Prix crown – the following year.

However, his route to Formula One appeared blocked and he headed to Japan where he has spent six seasons in Formula Nippon.

He comes from a racing family, with his father, also named Ralph, one of the founders of chassis builders Van Diemen and a former Lotus mechanic.