`This one was for Ireland' as Jordan celebrate

Ten minutes earlier he had joked that "this one was for Ireland" but as yesterday's Italian Grand Prix winner Heinz Harald Frenzten emerged from the Jordan garage to be greeted by the sustained roar from a horde of tricolour bedecked Jordan faithful the German would have been forgiven if he believed his words had been believed. Believing his own good fortune, as he was thrust headlong into title contention, proved a little more difficult though.

"I can't believe it," he laughed. "I certainly didn't expect that. I wanted to be as quick as possible here but honestly I hadn't put that calculation through my mind. These 10 points mean a lot to me and the team, especially the team as they're looking at their biggest ever success. It's also my biggest ever success in Formula One and I'm absolutely delighted."

The win puts Frentzen within 10 points of joint championship leaders Eddie Irvine and Mika Hakkinen and while the Jordan driver was guarded about his chances over the remaining three races, he conceded that the feat is possible.

"We are there," he said. "We are really close to winning the championship, it's unbelievable. We have the chances, but we'll have to see. You have to say the McLarens at the moment are not using their potential and if they start to use it, it will make it hard for us. We are not as quick as them but we are reliable and we are running in the points consistently."

While Frentzen attempted to explain the possibilities and the ramifications of his win, team owner Eddie Jordan was more direct and more ribald. "Irish people always come very quickly, very late," he laughed.

The Jordan boss also admitted that the outcome had presented him a double windfall, the 10 constructors' championship points and also a healthy win on a pre-race bet.

"We were powerful all weekend," he said. "We were quick in the qualifying. We came here very optimistic. I had a nice bet with Ladbrokes before I came. I never do that. Last time I did that was in Spa would you believe. I'm very lucky like that. So I had a bet on Frentzen."

Frentzen said, "Look, we have a real chance. If Honda can provide the engine that they say they are going to provide we have a chance for pole and we have a chance for the race. We missed the pole but we got the best thing which is the race because that's where the ten points comes from not from qualifying."

Frentzen, too had a double cause for celebration as along with the victory he also learned girlfriend Tanja Nigge is pregnant with their first child. "The victory here was tremendous," he said. "But I also have another reason to celebrated as Tanj and I are expecting our first baby. So there's a lot of celebrating to do."

While the Jordan camp was overflowing with victory cheer, Ferrari's championship hopeful Eddie Irvine could allow himself a small smile of self-satisfaction. Despite only managing a sixth place finish, Mika Hakkinen's terminal spin meant that Irvine's single point restored him to joint leadership of the title race.

"I said if we could get through Spa and here not too badly then we're in with a chance," he said after the race. "The miracle's happened. I'm really up for it. Mika's made two mistakes now and there's always a chance he'll make another one."

Irvine was on the sharp end of another poor weekend for Ferrari and admitted that a rethink will have to be done before the next race, the European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring. "Apart from testing some new things we've got to re-test everything we used here to find out what it's about. But it's nice to be leading the championship again. Now we must work, work, work."

Working towards the Nurburgring is likely to be an equally pressurised experience. The circuit is one which suit Jordan less than Monza and the track's high downforce is of a type that has been ill-suited to the Jordans in the past. But yesterday, the Jordan number one was brimming with confidence.

"The car shouldn't be too bad there," Frentzen said. "This was one of our best circuits but at the Nurburgring we run with a lot more downforce. At the start of the season we were struggling to qualify fourth or fifth on these kind of tracks but in Budapest we improved the car for tracks with small straights and I'm really looking forward to it. I don't think we can beat the McLarens and the Ferraris will be strong at the Nurburgring. But we'll be right there."