Jordan ready for 100th Grand Prix

EDDIE IRVINE struggled again yesterday in free practice for the Argentinian Grand Prix, a race which will be an historic 100th race start for Eddie Jordan's six-year-old Formula One team.

Jacques Villeneuve was quickest at the tight and twisty Buenos Aires circuit - exactly the way team sponsor Rothmans wanted to celebrate the successful conclusion of their sponsorship negotiations with Williams for 1998.

Third quickest was ex-Jordan driver Rubens Barrichello in the Stewart Ford.

Eddie Jordan spoke last night of the long road to becoming only one of 21 teams in the history of the sport to exceed 100 Grand Prix participations: "Well the first race in Phoenix was very special. The car was green - we were green too! - and it was on the week of St Patrick's Day. I got emotional when I saw the Irish flag on the grid - though later on I realised it wasn't for us at all! It was for Martin Donnelly who drove for Lotus under an RIAC licence.

Jordan spoke of the highs and blows of the journey so far: "The first year was epic. Each race was nerve-racking with pre-qualifying to eliminate six of the 30 cars trying to start. De Cesaris chasing the Ferraris at Monaco was great and then he nearly won at Spa. Speaking of which that was one hell of a week - poor Gachot in jail, Schu making his debut and qualifying fifth. It was an amazing year - but not a financial success!"

"As a single highpoint the second and third places in Canada was the best and the low was Imola in `94 and Christmas week of `91 when my general manager Bosco Quinn from Waterford was killed driving home from the factory".

Jordan now has more starts than illustrious names such as Maserati (69), Honda (35), Porsche (33) - a demonstration that mere survival in Formula One is a great achievement.

"I see this now as the start of the new era - where we become a bigger more professional team and achieve the victories we all crave for."

Those wins will hardly come tomorrow, though both Jordans were on the pace yesterday: "Giancarlo (Fisichella) was sixth and Ralf (Schumacher) ninth at the end of the day," said Jordan "but in the morning Ralf was third quickest - not bad for his first time here." Asked about the 21-year-old using the F word on ITV a fortnight ago Jordan joked: "I don't know where he's being picking up that language from. He'll be Mr Wholesome from now on!"

One man who was using the F word yesterday was Eddie Irvine. The Ulsterman needs a solid showing before F1 goes to Italy in a fortnight and he needs to be higher in qualifying than the 11th place he ended yesterday in "A grid position outside the top eight makes a points finish very difficult," said Ferrari's manager, Jean Todt. Irvine agrees: "Qualifying will be very important here. There is no chance to overtake. We will need a lot of downforce and be able to ride the bumps to succeed."

Irvine, starting his 51st Grand Prix tomorrow does not yet seem under serious threat of losing his drive but a bad run today and tomorrow could change that.

Schumacher and Jean Todt are strong supporters and as Eddie Jordan says: "Who else would they put in. Eddie might not be able to match Schumacher but no one else could either."