Jordan waiting for tide to turn

The current performance of Jordan Grand Prix comes as no surprise to many in Formula One who see the primary cause of the team's poor performance being traced to the loss of the works Peugeot engine and the normal long process of integrating the new engine with the Jordan chassis.

Last night the team announced that Gary Anderson will remain at base for the next two races working to improve the car by Silverstone in six weeks time Speaking about matching the Mugen Honda to the Jordan 198 Anderson said: "Integration of the engine with the chassis is a whole lot more sophisticated than bolting the new motor into the back and hooking up the systems.

"The engine and car have to be shaped and developed together so as a package the performance of both is at an optimum," explained the Coleraine engineer.

Things like the shape of the engine greatly affect the aerodynamics of the car. The location of the centre of gravity of the car is largely dictated by the engine weight and how low it can be installed. This is the major determinant in the suspension design.

In the case of the Jordan/Hart relationship, it took 15 months for the engine and chassis to sing in unison while the Jordan/Peugeot relationship took two years to be really effective.

Those board members at Benson & Hedges who support the F1 venture may need a new car this year to placate their boardroom opposition but this would be robbing the 1999 effort.

May is when the designers start the outline design for the following year. The last mid-season car was the McLaren Nigel Mansell special in 1995 which proved no better than the car it hurriedly replaced. Last night's announcement that the team are sticking to developing their current car is a victory for the common sense brigade over the panickers.

Jordan were 2.5 seconds off the pace at Monaco and Anderson was frank about the problem: "We are not getting enough heat into the tyres". In other words the car is not generating enough downforce to allow high speed cornering which in turn heats the tyres.

Anderson will spend the next 10 days in the wind tunnel rectifying this problem.

Overall, Jordan's main aim is to land some sort of works engine deal with Honda, VW or others. It's not just the funding they bring but the now essential element of having big company technical resources behind the team, as Eddie Irvine explained: "The resources that Ferrari (FIAT) are pumping into the F1 program are incredible. I don't know how Jordan can compete."

It's almost laughable the drivers saying they will stick with the team. Damon Hill is pulling a half a million dollars a race - win, lose or draw - so staying is not a difficult decision. Ralf's confidence is destroyed and his F1 career is dead if he leaves.

Jordan are not finished yet. Arrows are on the go 20 years without a win. Jordan have signed a new 15-year deal with the FIA securing large scale TV funding from now on. The immediate problems will be resolved by changes in the technical department because that's all that can be changed at present.

The team are also suffering from a number of decisions which are not working out. Top of the list is the decision to stay with Goodyear even through Mugen Honda have a close relationship with Bridgestone. Jordan have a contract with the US tyre company for 1999 and are holding out for a settlement when Goodyear pull out at the year end.

The driver pairing is not working. They don't raise each others game like Barrichello and Irvine in 1994 or Fisichella and Ralf Schumacher last year.

With a bit of luck Jordan should be able to finish in the points or even grab an occasional podium before the season ends. Next weekend is Canada - Jordan's lucky circuit where in 1994 they scored their only double podium. He needs some of that luck now.