LONDON -- Ford are committed to their Jaguar Formula One team 'way beyond 2004,' the U.S. carmaker's chief technical officer told the Financial Times newspaper.

At the same time, Volkswagen (VOWG.DE) made clear that they would not be following other carmakers into the sport.

"We are not considering any exit strategy, we're digging in," said Ford's Richard Parry-Jones, saying that Jaguar would remain part of the world's premier motor racing championship for years to come.

Ford had previously outlined a five-year plan when they bought the Stewart team in 1999 and changed the name to Jaguar.

But the team have struggled to make an impact, Eddie Irvine's third place in Monaco last year their best result to date.

This season they have been hampered by aerodynamics problems on their new R3 car and were lucky to score points in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix when Irvine finished fourth after half the grid crashed out.

The situation has led to speculation about the carmaker's commitment but Jaguar team principal Niki Lauda said this month that Ford's chief operating officer Nick Scheele had assured him of his support.

The Financial Times also quoted Frans-Josef Paefgen, the man in charge of Volkswagen's motorsport activities, as saying that that his company had no intention of entering Formula One.

"We have the resources to go the Ferrari route. But you have to ask is it wise or profitable?," he said.

"Currently there is a group review of who does what in motorsport. But for VW there will definitely be no F1 program," he said.

The German carmaker also owns the Audi and Bentley marques, which are competing in the Le Mans sportscar race in June. Audi have won there for the last two years.