| 15/06/02 :: Europe preview: Jordan |
The European Grand Prix will be the 100th race in Formula One for DHL Jordan Honda’s Giancarlo Fisichella. The Italian is one of only three drivers, along with Michael Schumacher and David Coulthard, to score points in all of the latest three races of 2002. Fisichella, who made his F1 debut at the 1996 Australian Grand Prix, is widely respected within the sport for his outstanding talent, and the statistics substantiate his reputation. Of 99 race starts, he has completed 80 races, with 26 top-six finishes earning him 81 points, an average of one point for every race finished, and with five 2nd and four 3rd places, more than 10% of his races have ended on the podium.
Gary Anderson, Director of Race and Test Engineering said, "Fisichella is a very, very good driver, one of the best. At the beginning of the season we didn’t give him a car or engine to match his ability, but we’ve worked very hard and I think we are moving in the right direction. Giancarlo has responded with a brilliant hat-trick of fifth places and although we’re not yet in a position to beat the best teams, we are now giving both drivers something they can work with."
DHL Jordan Honda tested at the Elvington airfield, near York, northern England, on Friday 14th and Saturday 15th June with Marcel Lasèe. The test session focused on straight-line aerodynamic work to obtain track correlation of wind tunnel development. The team currently has just three cars after losing a chassis in the Austrian Grand Prix, so chassis 2 (the T-car) was used for testing and will then be rebuilt before being sent to Nürburgring.
Deutsche Post World Net has booked 1250 tickets in three full grandstands at Nürburgring, as incentives for the workforce from their regional offices. The attending staff promise to be a striking sight, dressed in bright yellow, the corporate colour for both Deutsche Post World Net and Jordan.
Eddie Jordan, Chief Executive:
"The European Grand Prix was a ‘nearly’ race for us in 1999 when we qualified on pole position and then led the race for 32 laps. We have all been encouraged by our results from the last three races, thanks to the team’s hard work and Giancarlo’s incredible expertise. It is important that we now look forward and focus on improving the car further so the drivers can continue to deliver points. I want to see Jordan close the gap on the teams immediately ahead of us in the Championship and I am optimistic about achieving that."
Gary Anderson, Director of Race and Test Engineering:
"I was quite disappointed in Canada as I thought we had a real chance to get on the podium. But it showed that we’ve got a reasonable package for the circuits of the forthcoming races. I think with a little bit of luck here and there, we can get a podium this season. We should do quite well in the European Grand Prix as Nürburgring calls for a lot of curb climb, like the circuit in Montreal, and I expect the EJ12 package to suit the track."
Giancarlo Fisichella:
"Nürburgring is a circuit I am familiar with as I have driven here so many times, not only in Formula One but also when I participated in the DTM series. This year we will experience some significant changes to the original track, which should be interesting. I hope to be able to continue the series of positive results which began in Austria."
Takuma Sato:
"I am looking forward to the European Grand Prix as it is held at one of the circuits I know. I raced before at Nürburgring in the Formula Opel Euroseries in 1999, which might give me a small benefit, although they have made changes to the first three corners. I was happy to get 10th place in Canada but of course I want to do more and gain points and podiums, so I hope the next race will be good. I also hope I can do a full qualifying session without having to run back to the pits!" |
|
