'I'LL GET A '06 RIDE'

With back-of-the-grid Jordan, the 28-year-old has demonstrated skill and - perhaps most vitally - consistently dominant pace over Portuguese teammate Tiago Monteiro.

"I am faster than him nine times out of ten," Narain claimed.

He told the Times of India newspaper in Monte Carlo: "I've already impressed a lot of people.

"I'm going to be here next year too, with Jordan or some other team. I'm very sure of that."

He admitted to more than one approach of a rival team chief.

"Yes," Karthikeyan responded, "but I am not going to say who."

However, if Jordan is the most realistic choice for 2006, he reported no concern at reports that team owner Alex Shnaider is keen to install a Russian born driver.

Karthikeyan insisted: "It will take a minimum of five years for a Russian to come in."