Jordan Grand Prix

Jordan Grand Prix is a Formula One constructor that debuted in 1991. The team is named after Irish-born founder Edmund "Eddie" Jordan. Jordan and his team were well known for a "rock and roll" attitude which added colour and character to Formula One in the 1990s.

Early history

Eddie Jordan's success in lower formulae inspired the creation of a Formula One program for the 1991 season. Jordan hired Italian veteran Andrea de Cesaris and Belgian Bertrand Gachot to drive his first cars, which were powered by Ford. The team had a very solid debut finishing 5th in the Constructors' Championship, with de Cesaris finishing 9th in the Drivers' Championship. Gachot failed to end the season after being sent to prison for attacking a taxi driver. Gachot was initially replaced by Michael Schumacher, who made his Formula One debut in a Jordan at the Belgian Grand Prix, but he was poached by Benetton after just one start.

Related Topics:
Formula One - 1991 season - Italian - Andrea de Cesaris - Bertrand Gachot - Ford - Michael Schumacher - Belgian Grand Prix - Benetton

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Success for Jordan literally came at a high price. The team was forced to switch to cheaper Yamaha engines for the 1992 season. With veterans Mauricio Gugelmin and Stefano Modena driving, the team badly struggled and failed to score a point until the final race of the season.

Related Topics:
Yamaha - 1992 season - Mauricio Gugelmin - Stefano Modena

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1993 saw further changes, with the team again changing engines, this time to Hart motors. Again, the season started with two new drivers, Ivan Capelli and Brazilian rookie Rubens Barrichello. Capelli left after two races and Barrichello saw five other drivers become teammates of his during the 1993 campaign. Jordan only had moderate improvement, scoring 3 points. Signs of stability were beginning to show near the end of the season when Barrichello was joined by Eddie Irvine, a former driver for Jordan in F3000, near the end of the '93 season.

Related Topics:
1993 - Hart - Ivan Capelli - Rubens Barrichello - Eddie Irvine

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Barrichello and Irvine returned for the 1994 season, as did the Hart engines, but Irvine had a bad start to the season, as he earned a three-race ban for reckless driving. Barrichello earned the team their first top three finish in Japan, but was nearly killed during the following race in San Marino following a frightening practice crash. The team overcame these difficulties and returned to their initial form as they finished fifth in the Constructors' Championship again. Barrichello, who also earned Jordan's first pole position, was exceptional for them, as he finished 6th in the Drivers' Championship.

Related Topics:
1994 season - San Marino

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Jordan switched to Peugeot power in 1995. During the Canadian Grand Prix that year, both Irvine and Barrichello finished on the podium, finishing second and third respectively. It was the highlight to an unspectacular but relatively solid year for Jordan, as they hung around mid-pack to finish 6th in the Championship.

Related Topics:
Peugeot - 1995 - Canadian Grand Prix

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Irvine left in 1996 to become Michael Schumacher's teammate at Ferrari, leading Jordan to replace him with veteran Martin Brundle. The team failed to make the podium, but both drivers managed to score a string of fourth place finishes as the team scored yet another 5th among the constructors.

Related Topics:
1996 - Martin Brundle

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