Good-Bye Jordan

[Diego440]

Eddie Jordan and Christian Horner are believed to be only days away from announcing a deal which will see the team pass into the hands of the owner of the Arden International Formula 3000 team. Eddie Jordan and Horner have been in negotiation for weeks but the whisper in F1 circles is that a deal is now done and the team will soon change its name. It is not clear yet who is bankrolling the deal but Horner has obviously found backing from somewhere. The big question now is who will drive for the team, which ran Nick Heidfeld and Timo Glock at the end of the year, the team having agreed to part with Giorgio Pantano in the latter part of the year. Heidfeld is still on the market although BMW appear to want to see him as a driver at BMW Williams (probably a test driver). Glock is still on the market but will have to contend with the likes of Ryan Briscoe (who may help lessen the load of the Toyota engine deal) and David Coulthard is also still out there, looking for a job. Horner is also known to be very keen to secure the services of Vitantonio Liuzzi, who won the Formula 3000 title this year with Arden. Liuzzi is impressing in his tests at Red Bull Racing, where Tony Purnell is also a big fan. It is worth noting that in recent weeks there has also been some revived interest in Liuzzi from down Williams way although the Italian is keen to get a racing seat in F1 rather than a testing role.

The Jordan package in 2005 is not going to be hugely competitive at the start of the year as there will have to be an interim car because of the late nature of the decisions having been made but the team is planning to introduce a new car in the middle of the year which will be designed by ex-Renault designer Mark Smith and this mated to a Toyota engine could be a very useful package with which to give the team a solid base on which to build for the future.

Still, I hope they keep the yellow cars, since they make for great memories on the racetrack. Thanks for the memories, Eddie!

 

[slackbladder]

Does this mean that Eddie Jordan is going to have nothing to do with the team next year? Kinda suprised if that's the case. I still remember that fateful race in Spa in the wet when Hill won Jordans first (only?) race!

Well, at least there will still be a team for next season, along with the new Red Bull team. So that's 22 cars now?

 

[daan]

Well, at least there will still be a team for next season, along with the new Red Bull team. So that's 22 cars now?

2005 will have the same number of teams as 2004.

Jaguar = Red Bull
Jordan = Arden (possibly)

And if the B&H sponsorship stays then they'll still be yellow.

 

[slackbladder]

Still only 20 then... Oh well, could be worse.

 

[Omnis]

eddie and those rose color glasses...

jordan was hanging in there until trulli left, right?

 

[Diego440]

I still remember that fateful race in Spa in the wet when Hill won Jordans first (only?) race!

I'm not sure, but I think Jordan won a few races back in the early 90s, or at least more than one. Correct me if I'm wrong, though.

 

[daan]

Jordan have won 4 races. Hill at Spa in '98, Frentzen won 2 races (France and Italy) in '99 and Fisichella in Brazil in 2003.

 

[Roo]

They had pole at Spa in 1994, courtesy of Barichello, which maybe what you're thinking of. They came second and third in Canada in 1995, with Barichello and Irvine (not sure which order though). I think they also had a fastest lap in 1991. daan covered all the wins.

 

[wee_man]

When Hill won in Spa, wasn't Ralf in the Second Jordan second as well?

 

[daan]

When Hill won in Spa, wasn't Ralf in the Second Jordan second as well?

Yeah, he was. Ralfie was unhappy as he wanted to try and pass Hill but was told not to.

 

[Diego440]

Whew! You guys are walking motorsport libraries

 

[Aveiro-F1]

Yeah for 2004 it'll be 20 cars unless something happens and quick, but for 2005 we're expecting/hoping for 24 cars.

 

[Stinky Chicken]

How do you come to that conclusion when daan quite clearly said:

2005 will have the same number of teams as 2004.

Jaguar = Red Bull
Jordan = Arden (possibly)

And if the B&H sponsorship stays then they'll still be yellow.

?

Please, don't keep us all in the dark! Where are the extra 4 cars coming from?

 

[Diego440]

Yeah for 2004 it'll be 20 cars unless something happens and quick, but for 2005 we're expecting/hoping for 24 cars.

er... didn't the 2004 season already end? Isn't the 2005 season the one that will start next year? Being that 2005 is next year?

 

[Diego440]

sorry for the double post, but there's two different things I wanted to talk about. The last post and this which is kind of a follow-up to the thread's original topic:

According to www.f1live.com and the Sunday Times, Arden International is moving closer to to closing the deal that will purchase Jordan Grand Prix; the deal should be finalised before the Christmas break.

Eddie Jordan has a 50.1% stake in the team with Merrion Capital, essentially a consortium of Irish businessmen, owning the remainder of the company.

The British newspaper reports that Arden – in conjunction with a Chinese, yet-to-be-revealed, partner - will purchase both Eddie Jordan’s share in the company as well as that of Merrion Capital for 30 million GBP ($55m).

Jordan Grand Prix has already secured the use of Toyota engines for the forthcoming season, while the team are optimistic that the Mark Smith designed chassis will prove competitive from the outset. Horner is expected to take over as Team Principle ay the team.

Arden International was formed in 1997 by then race driver Christian Horner to compete in the F3000 championship and have enjoyed success with Tonio Liuzzi, Robert Doornbos, Bjorn Wirdheim, Tomas Enge and Darren Manning

 

[kensei]

Eddie Jordan and his yellow cars have always rubbed me the wrong way. No team knows how to waste more money than Eddie and crew. Their vodaphone fiasco was the iceing on the cake.

I'd love to see what Minardi could do with Jordan's budget.

We need small private teams like this in F1 and Arden International has proven it can run a race team far more effectively than Eddie Jordan ever could hope to. I hope this all goes through and Arden continues their success.

 

[Aveiro-F1]

What I meant was 2005 in place of 2004 and 2006 in place of 2005, this year's gone by so fast I haven't realized we started it yet! My fault, guys.

 

[GilesGuthrie]

Time has been unkind to this rumour. Linkage

Eddie lives to fight another day. I wonder if the rumours surrounding the Dubai consortium behind the "Victory" powerboats will come to anything.