Germany's Timo Glock will drive for Jordan in Sunday's inaugural Chinese Formula One Grand Prix after the team terminated Italian Giorgio Pantano's contract.

"It has been a pleasure working with Giorgio this year however contractual issues have made this unavoidable and we wish him every success in the future," said team boss Eddie Jordan in a statement on Wednesday.

It will be Glock's second start alongside compatriot Nick Heidfeld, the youngster scoring points with a seventh place finish in Canada last June when a management dispute also kept Pantano out of the car.

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"Timo's performance throughout the season as our third driver in testing and free practice has been first-class, particularly when he stood in and raced in Canada," said Jordan.

"I am confident that in this unexpected call-up he will do a good job for Jordan again. In Shanghai he will be in the same boat as everyone else as the circuit is new for all the drivers."

Glock has doubled as Jordan's Friday test and reserve driver this season. That role will be taken over for the remaining three rounds by Dutchman Robert Doornbos, who has been racing in the junior Formula 3000 series.

"It's been an amazing season for me," said Doornbos, winner of the Belgian F3000 round at Spa and who celebrates his 23rd birthday on Thursday. "In my first year in F3000 I won a race and got on the podium a few times.

"To get this chance with Jordan is fantastic and although it's late in the day and at circuits I have never visited, I'm grabbing the opportunity with both hands and looking forward to my first F1 drive."

Pantano made his Formula One debut this season after capturing the German Formula Three title and winning races with three different F3000 teams in the junior series.

The 25-year-old has failed to score a point in 14 starts with his best result being 13th place in the European and Malaysian Grands Prix.

He has retired from the last three races.

Pantano's departure adds a further twist to an already much-changed starting grid in Shanghai, with compatriot Jarno Trulli also absent after leaving Renault for Toyota last week after his home Grand Prix.

Canadian former champion Jacques Villeneuve, making his comeback after a year out, replaces Trulli at Renault while Germany's Ralf Schumacher returns for Williams after missing six races due to a big crash in June.