EDDIE JORDAN last night expressed his disappointment at Damon Hill's decision not to drive for his team next year.

Hill, fired by Williams-Renault when on the verge of winning the world title, yesterday announced he has signed for the low-profile TWR Arrows team for next year's Formula One world championship.

Hill, who needs just one point from the final race in Japan 19 clinch the world drivers' championship, stunned grand prix observers with his decision least of all Jordan.

"We had been talking to Damon over the last few weeks and we were keen to get him. I have to say that I am sorry he will not be driving for us," said Jordan.

Speaking from his home in Oxford, Jordan said he had made Hill an offer of $4 million and had given him until the end of last week to decide. When the deadline passed Jordan knew his chances of landing the 36-year-old were getting slimmer. "I've been very public in my support for Damon," said Jordan. "He is a gent, always polite and professional. Our sponsors Benson & Hedges would have been delighted to have him on board, but there was a limit.

"Also Damon wanted number one status, plus a dominant role in the testing programme and other conditions that would have been incompatible with Schumacher's."

The Killiney-based Englishman had been expected to move to either Jordan or the new Stewart team for the 1997 season.

TWR Arrows have, instead, snapped him up in what is a major comedown for Hill - who will leave the strongest team in Formula One for one of the weakest. The Tom Walkinshaw Racing-backed Arrows, whose cars were registered this year as Footwork-Hart, have scored just one point this season in IS Grand Prix races, leaving the team ninth in the constructors' championship.

Reports suggest a package worth $7 million was on offer from Walkinshaw.

The good news for the Jordan team is that they are now left in a very strong position in negotiating with other drivers for the second seat. Ralf Schumacher is bringing Bitburg sponsorship worth £4 million to the team and the remaining berth at Jordan is the best available seat in Formula One and will warrant at least as high a price, if Jordan decides to go for a driver bringing money.

Meanwhile, Hill's new chief mechanic is Dubliner John Walton, who joined TWR last month, and the engine is built by former Jordan supplier and colleague of Gary Anderson, Brian Hart.

Walkinshaw, a leading former touring car driver, is a former director of the Ligier Formula One team. The TWR Arrows team is expected to have Yamaha engines from next season.

This season the Footwork-Hart team employed Dutchman Jos Verstappen and Brazilian Ricardo Rosset. Their futures are not yet known.