Jordan foiled in the final furlong

Eddie Jordan stepped ashen-faced off the pit wall after yesterday's heart-breaking German Grand Prix when Giancarlo Fisichella came close to winning the Irish team's first World Championship event. Jordan could not believe that once again victory had simply evaporated before his eyes in the closing stages of a Grand Prix. Fisichella had traded the lead with Gerhard Berger throughout a dramatic race and was within six laps of the finish - just seconds behind the Austrian - when his Goodyear tyre disintegrated, necessitating an extra pit stop and putting the Italian out of contention.

Berger went on the win the race, finishing ahead of Michael Schumacher, Mika Hakkien, Jarno Trulli and Ralf Schumacher in the other Jordan. Eddie Irvine, meanwhile, suffered a puncture at the first corner and damage incurred during his return to the pits forced his retirement.

Fisichella had benefited from eight days rest before the Grand Prix and drove a storming race. He made the best of his front row starting slot and fought off Michael Schumacher to retain second place into the first corner. The Jordan team were alone among the front runners to opt for hard tyres for practice and the weekend. This allowed both the Jordans to run a one-stop strategy while Williams, Ferrari and Benetton all had to pit twice.

As Fisichella hung on to second place until 25 miles from the finish, the Jordan team was daring to dream of an historic win. The Italian was some 18 seconds behind Berger who, running a two-stop pit strategy, had yet to enter the pit lane a second time. Even allowing for the small amount of fuel Berger would need to take on board, the Austrian was likely to exit the pit lane behind the Jordan driver. With 11 laps (of 45) to go, the race leader pitted. Fisichella just made it to turn one as Berger sprinted from the pits, the pair nose to tail with the yellow car in the lead as the final charge to the flag began in earnest.

Berger, making a return after missing three events with sinus trouble, pressurized Fisichella who had to give way to the 37-yearold veteran, whose seat he is expected to take at Benetton. The Italian was nursing a badly worn rear tyre, but seemed set for a career-best second place when the tyre ruptured.

The Jordan driver could not believe his misfortune and spun as he limped back to the Jordan mechanics who swiftly changed all four tyres and got him on his way only for the car to trundle to a halt minutes later, an oil line having been snapped by flailing rubber from the punctured tyre. At the finish, Fisichella was classified seventh. Poor reward for a fine drive.

Afterwards a downbeat Eddie Jordan reflected on a day when he felt the team might earn its first Grand Prix victory. "I couldn't believe it. At one stage we were effectively a long, long way ahead because we were only on the one stop. Unfortunately, the day got very hot and the one stop turned out to be too much for the tyres. It's a shame - for Giancarlo and for us," he said. "You know he has been upset about this announcement from Benetton that he will be driving for them. It was premature. However it is safe to say that we will redouble our efforts to capitalise on the speed we have shown today."

Ralf Schumacher was not happy to finish in fifth place in his home event, having dominated the early practice sessions. "I didn't get a good start. I think I was ninth or thereabouts after the first lap. We were carrying a lot of fuel to fulfil the one stop strategy and it made the car slow at the start."

Only once before has Jordan come as close to winning a Grand Prix. In 1991 at Spa, Andrea De Cesaris had closed to within five seconds of Ayrton Senna's ailing McLaren when three laps from the finish the Jordan's Ford engine expired.

Eddie Irvine had his shortest race of the season when first corner contact with Heinz Harald Frentzen knocked the pair out.

"I had a great start - my best all year - I was up to fifth (from tenth on the grid) into the first corner," he said as he emerged from the Ferrari garage. "Then I felt a nudge from behind as I came out fo the corner and then the tyre exploded." Irvine struggled back to the pits but the slow crawl around the full 4.2 mile circuit with a damaged car had taken its toll.

"Some of the parts had got damaged on the way back and a small fire started - so that was it," said the Ulsterman who has a critical week coming up as Ferrari have until Thursday to confirm his option for 1998 - the same day he takes delivery of his new Falcon 10 private jet.

How They Stand German Grand Prix 1 G Berger (Aut) BenettonRenault 1 hour 20mins 59.046 secs (average speed 227.477kph) 2 M Schumacher (Ger) Ferrari - at 17.527sec 3 M Hakkinen (Fin) McLarenMercedes - 24.770 4 J Trulli (Ita) Prost-MugenHonda - 27.165 5 R Schumacher (Ger) - Jordan-Peugeot 29.995 6 J Alesi (Fra) Benetton-Renault - 34.717

Drivers Standings 1 M Schumacher (Ger) - 53 points 2 J Villeneuve (Can) - 43 3 J Alesi (Fra) - 22 4 G Berger (Aut) - 20 5 H Frentzen (Ger) - 19 6 E Irvine (Irl) - 18