How to save Jordan

[Adam43]

OK, what realistic plans can get Jordan back up the grid? Frankly I can't think of any short of selling out and almost starting again (a risky choice).

However they look like they'll get the same engine as Jaguar next year. Will this be enough? Or will more be needed.

Even if they get tonnes of pay driver cash, they will still have a limited budget (not quite Minardi levels I guess).

What can reasonably be achieved with limited resources? Answers on a postcard...

[flexible-flyer]

well they were handed eddie irvine on a plate for 2003 which would have added atleast another 10 points to thier campaign this year.

[BootsOntheSide]

Maybe all they need is a little Trust.

The only thing in tehir favour could be the Bridgestones, whcih ar eunlikely to be far off Michelin's pace next season, especilaly looking at the post-Hungary swing, and should the best ebst tyres in the wet, maybe allowing for more shock results.

[Super Tourer]

I think the only real progress would be under new ownership, with people prepared to invest heavily in the infrastructure of the team.

It seems to me that all that EJ is doing by hiring pay drivers is securing running costs for the team, which is not the same as investment. Also where is their strength in depth, is EJ looking for or hiring new design or engineering talent?

Contrast this with Saubers big investment in the wind tunnel and their ongoing/strengthening relationship with Ferrari. Again look at EJ, nearly every engine deal has fallen over with acrimony, Peugeot,Honda and he's also had a swipe or two at Ford.

If you add all the above to some 'curious' commercial decisions, you get the Jordam team of today.

[Stephen Green]

Sadly I have to agree with you ST. It seems to me Jordans problems started when Mike Gascoine left for Renault. Since then they have stumbled from one crisis to another and are now being forced to accept pay drivers to help budgetary constraints. The only thing I see that will get them back to the team they were three years ago is a deal with a major engine supplier, a deal that is for at least 5 years and is not open to 'get out clauses' such as was the case with Honda. Then, the design team needs to be strengthened to give the team a step forward. Even a mediocre driver can hope to scope points with a good car!

Unless we see some of these things happening, then I think it's doom and gloom for EJ

[DriverT]

Yeah I agree with you as well ST. You have to build the intrastructure of the team, not pay the fixed costs. New ownership is maybe the only way, because I really cannot see how anyone would be prepared to invest in it.

Of course, possibly they could have a nice car, a good season and the sponsors would come running. But I've seen it happen before with Jordan. Nothing happened then.

[BSchneiderFan]

The bottom line is money, isn't it? If they hired Heidfeld and McNish and started co-operating with Ford instead of arguing, then perhaps 2004 might have some promise, though a high-profile tech chief couldn't hurt either, gary Anderson's return having been a little unimpressive. Hire Sergio Rinland or John Barnard to pen the EJ14, I say.

[BertMk2]

Originally posted by BSchneiderFan
Hire Sergio Rinland or John Barnard to pen the EJ14, I say.

Or the EJ15 - the 14 must surely be pretty much done by now? (at least you've got to hope so for their sake)

I agree though - more investment in the design team is needed but it all comes back to the matter of money - without the cash you can't get a top designer, without a top designer it's harder to get cash.

[Eau Rouge Flat]

Take your foot off her head!

[DNQ]

Sergio Rinland and Mercedes engines would be good. Of course Merc motors would cost a fortune, but perhaps they could come to an agreement to be the McLaren equivalent of Sauber or something... who knows...

[Stephen Green]

You mean somewhere to dump Coulthard next season

[BSchneiderFan]

Originally posted by BertMk2
Or the EJ15 - the 14 must surely be pretty much done by now? (at least you've got to hope so for their sake)

You'd hope so, but then, as they still don't know what engine will be in the back of it (unless they're keeping vewy vewy quiet, to quote Elmer Fudd), one wonders exactly how much of the design work can have been done.

[BertMk2]

Originally posted by BSchneiderFan
You'd hope so, but then, as they still don't know what engine will be in the back of it (unless they're keeping vewy vewy quiet, to quote Elmer Fudd), one wonders exactly how much of the design work can have been done.

Good point. I'd forgotten about that I'd just assumed that they'd be running Fords and had got everything sorted out in that department. It doesn't look good does it? 3 months to go and they still don't have a confirmed engine and don't have any confirmed drivers.

[BSchneiderFan]

Even Minardi has confirmed its driver line-up (kind of). Not a good sign. Perhaps selling up (but to whom?) is EJ's only real hope now. Or attracting Dieter Mateschitz's money for the all-American F1 team.

[BertMk2]

Even if they do sell up it's too late really for 2004 isn't it? It looks like being another long season for the team which is a shame (Jordan are my favourite F1 team).

[Super Tourer]

EJ is still under contract to Ford as far as I am aware, so it will be Ford's and not Merc's in the back of the cars.

I don't think Mercedes were ever that serious about engine supply.

[billiaml]

You'd think -- okay hope -- he'd be able to say, "Even working on a limited budget, we managed to win a race in '03. Imagine what we could do if you could provide sponsorship that would give us a real budget to work with."

Perhaps it's the state of the global economy or the fact that they weren't able to back up the win with other decent performances -- or both?

[Super Tourer]

Trouble is that it was such a flukey win, in exceptional circumstances.

In reality without that win, Jordan scored 3 points on merit/car performance.

[billiaml]

True. Right after the win, I was quite optimistic @ their chances but, as the season wore on, I got the feeling that the win was more a case of the proverbial blind squirrel finding a nut.

[BootsOntheSide]

Only fair to bare in mind that Fisichella would've probably got a good result had the race gone to the finish, and perhaps even if it'd stayed dry - he was 8th on the grid. Add to that Firman's suspension failure while right behind Giancarlo on the same strategy, and it was an impressive performance, although winning was lucky.