Jordan Drivers for next year ?

[Sato san]

With all the current specualtion of who exactly will be driving for Jordan next year ..i thought id just put this to everybody .
Alot of people think Takuma will be out of a drive at Jordan next year , and that Irvine will be driving for them instead . Well , here's 2 articles ( quotes) taken from Autosport.com .

In a question and answer session with Sato....
Q: Are you confident about next year?.....
A: Obviously we have a strong contract with the team, which is great. I hope it's going to be really good for the rest of the season and we can do a better job next year

and then this story about Irvine.........
Irvine would accept testing role

Eddie Irvine has admitted that he would consider becoming a full-time test driver with a Formula 1 team next year rather than hang up his helmet

the plot thickens !!!!!!

[Mr V]

I'd say that Eddie's playing games again, and by saying that he'd be prepared to take a test drivers role, he already knows where it will be next year, and it will be in a race seat!

[Sato san]

What makes you say that ?.....sounds to me like he isnt sure either where he will be.

[Mr V]

Originally posted by Sato san
sounds to me like he isnt sure either where he will be.

Ya proberbly right, i just got the impression that Edmund knows where his future lies, but doesn't want to rest of us too.........yet.

[neilap]

I will go out on a limb and say both drivers will be retained along with the Honda motor. EI must know that he will not be racing anymore so he is preparing the public.

[KA]

Originally posted by Sato san
With all the current specualtion of who exactly will be driving for Jordan next year ..i thought id just put this to everybody .
Alot of people think Takuma will be out of a drive at Jordan next year , and that Irvine will be driving for them instead . Well , here's 2 articles ( quotes) taken from Autosport.com .

In a question and answer session with Sato....
Q: Are you confident about next year?.....
A: Obviously we have a strong contract with the team, which is great. I hope it's going to be really good for the rest of the season and we can do a better job next year

the plot thickens !!!!!!

Even though I've been greatly disappointed by his performances at times this year, I think Jordan would be making a mistake by dumping Sato totally- even if they have to either stand him down to test-driver for a year or farm him out elsewhere for a while, he's shown enough potential to be worth keeping around- OK, Fisichella has been faster most of the time, but the difference seems to be getting less all the time, and I've been impressed by Sato's starts and early lap aggression- a definite racer in the trues sense of the word... If they can just calm him down enough that he keeps it on the track consistently, without reducing that aggression and ability to overtake people, then he could still have the kind of future in F1 that his F3 performances suggested....

Apart from anything else, bearing in mind their ages, both H-HF & Irvine are only going to be short-term options for Jordan- if they can unlock his true potential, Sato could be the future.....

[bosch!]

Eddie does know where he will be next year... on his bloody big yacht

But seriously, i think it depends on the engine deal, *If* its a Honda then sato *will* retain his drive if not i doubt it. I think he deserves another year, because:

1) he's sweet and innocent "we have a firm contract"
2) I think he is better than he has shown
3) Cant possibly damage as many cars next year
4) He is Japanesse (HOLD IT!!) I think he has taken a lot of flak because of this, even from before he was signed. anyway we surley have enough Germans (not enough brits)

But he should only stay if will benefit the team, ie there is a deal or sponsorship. Even if he is dropped from a race seat i would keep him as a test driver. Does anybody know what his feedback to the team is like?

[mac]

Eddie's pretty good. But I feel a team boss who signs him is up for a season of dead-horse flogging.

[Mr V]

Originally posted by bosch!
Does anybody know what his feedback to the team is like?

Only from what the man himself tells us!

From this months F1 Magazine.

F1 mag.....The engineers tell me you're very into data and telemetry. Is this true?

Sato..... I think it's necessary.It's my job to make the car go quicker. I have to understand what the car is like from an engineering point of view, otherwise i won't be able to speak to the guys- and it's especially important in testing to talk to each other. When i look at the data, i understand nearly everything now.

[f1manoz]

Sato has done enough to keep his seat for next year. I don't buy into the Sato-Honda thing at all. Every Japanese driver since Nakajima has been thought of having one or another manufacturer in his back pocket.

Line-up next year will be the same. If anything, Fisichella could end up leaving if the right seat became available.

[O'Schumacher]

I thought Honda would take Sato to BAR alongside Villeneuve for 02.

Woops.

If Sato is not in F1 next year, It'll be a loss to whoever overlooks him. He's clearly talented and, like Massa, cannot be judged on 1/2 a season.

[mac]

Originally posted by O'Schumacher
I thought Honda would take Sato to BAR alongside Villeneuve for 02.

Woops.

If Sato is not in F1 next year, It'll be a loss to whoever overlooks him. He's clearly talented and, like Massa, cannot be judged on 1/2 a season.

That's a lot more than Alex Zanardi was judged on. I look at the number of mistakes made by Massa, and then look at the amount of times Zanardi DNFed (or had a disabled car)in '99 due to mechanical problems and I wonder - why is Massa so highly rated?

After his races at Brazil, Monaco, Silverstone and Magny-Cours, I still don't understand it. I mean, look at other rookies - Webber has made one mistake all year and has been R-A-P-I-D. Alonso made very few mistakes, Raikkonen - hardly any. I know which rookie I'd want from '02.

Yes, he's shown some good speed, but he's also done some stupid things.

I just don't understand why the media love some drivers, no matter what they do, and why other drivers can't cop a break from the media, no matter what they do.

[OVERSTEER]

How about a line up of Fisichella and Panis at Jordan?

I say that because I think Button will be joined by Villeneuve next year and I think Jordan will take Panis, just a feeling I have.

I feel this would leave Sato in the BAR/Honda test team being set up at BAR and Sato would be a reserve driver for BAR.

[Sato san]

But what about Davidson ?..he is already there...mind you hopefully he will have a good race seat somewhere next year

[Kex]

I think somehow David Richards wants to hang on to Panis. Remember Panis "cooked" him a nice meal!

[BootsOntheSide]

The only possibility under which Fisichella would be anywhere else would be if Michael retires and Giancarlo goes to Ferrari, but that's unlikely. There are several names in contention to take Sato's drive, but I think a couple of good drives may help him retain it, unless Jordan lose the Honda engines, Sato turns out to be Honda's, and they take him to test the BAR. Otherwise, Irvine or Davidson could help B&H get a British driver that they want.

[Peter Mallett]

I thought B&H were reducing/pulling out their support.

I tend to agree about Sato. He's necessarily judged against his immediate opposition and as such, him and Massa (I don't consider Yoong as anybody's opposition) should be rested or given test roles until they start to think a bit more.

As to next year's line up for Jordan? How about swapping Sato for Davidson? Seeing as Wilson can't fit the car.

[EERO]

Peter, its my understanding that B&H held off renewing their contract with Jordan for 2002 in the wake of Sept 11th, but have recently signed a $45,000,000 dollar deal for at least 3 seasons. B&H will be Jordan's title sponsor next season.

I believe that both Sato and Massa need a year as testers to hone their obvious skills. Let the Swerve have the race seat for one year to nuruture the transition to Cossies. Eddie retires and Sato returns in 2004.

[kdr]

jordan + irvine = publicity

and what does ej crave most?

[Peter Mallett]

Thanks for that EERO.

[Guy Goddard2]

If Frentzen can come back to Jordan then we can't rule out Hill returning as well!

[Sato san]

Originally posted by kdr
jordan + irvine = publicity

and what does ej crave most?

i think your spot on there KDR .

but If Irvine goes to Jordan it should be because of his driving skills , not because he craves publicity ...but thats the way it is i suppose.

[av8rirl]

I still think theres no reason that it won't be Fisi and Sato

[Mr V]

Originally posted by Sato san


If Irvine goes to Jordan it should be because of his driving skills , not because he craves publicity ...but thats the way it is i suppose.

I think that Eddie has proved that he's a good driver and can do a good job given a good car. Ok, he may not have done the best job at Jaguar, but then, neither has PDLR. I have faith that Jordan will give Eddie a better car to start with, and along with Fisi, between them will be able to make the car fast.

[Sato san]

Firstly i have to say that im a fan of Irvine ......but , i find his attitude a little difficult to defend ...a driver should always give 100% , and i dont think that anyone can really stand up and say Eddie has done that over the past 2 years .

In a way , it reminds me of Damons last season , Maybe it was one season to many .