Newsgroup: it.sport.formula1.moderato
Titolo: [ENG] Press conference with Eddie Jordan

Source: 
formula1.com
http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines02/08/s10338.html
Eddie Jordan 
Eddie Jordan held a press conference at the Hungaroring today (Sunday) to
discuss the announcement from Honda that they had reached agreement with
the Jordan team to end their engine supply contract at the end of 2002.
He also took the opportunity to announce a new three-year "partnership"
with Ford Cosworth Racing from 2003.
Below is a full transcript:
Q: Give us your reaction on the release [Honda's announcement that an
agreement with Jordan to terminate their contract had been reached)?
EJ: I am a little bit surprised because it happened so quickly. Late last
night we finally got the signature on the contract [with Ford], and today
we are very, very happy and proud that Jordan and Ford and Cosworth will
be working together for next 3 years. It is a very big day for Jordan!
Q: You were due to make an announcement tomorrow, were you not?
EJ: What happened was it was brought forward on the Ford side of the
contract, the signature from Ford came through yesterday. I believe,
through some ethical reasons and proper reasons with Honda - with their
senior people who are here, - they [put out] the press release today to
say that they officially allowed us to go, because we had contract with
them for the next year. To be fair, Honda were fantastic about it. They
understood that in the interests of Formula One&#8482;, bringing back a
manufacturer like Ford and for Jordan to have three-year deal with Ford,
it is very good news for Formula One.
Q: Honda have effectively broken the contract, are they going to
compensate you for that?
EJ: They never broke the contract. In the interests of Jordan and Formula
One they released us earlier in the year, and so with regards to whatever
your are talking about, compensation, that is not the issue. They have
given us this opportunity to be able to be part of a new structure and a
new partnership with Ford.
Q: Any implication to the driver line up?
EJ: I don't think so. Obviously it will unfold as to some of the
benefits, different ways of looking at new opportunities will unfold
commercially, not only in Formula One. Global contacts and their value
increase the profit worldwide. When I mentioned the understanding with
Ford, what they wanted and we continue to discuss because we have been
discussing since 15th of February, and it has finally come to play.
Q: It will be a Ford-badged team or a Cosworth-badged team?
EJ: Absolutely it has Ford badges on the car. What you will see next year
will be the blue oval mark in Formula One. For me it is very exciting
news.
Q: Will Jordan return to the winners' circle?
EJ: When you say things like that, you have to be sensible. You know what
Michael Schumacher is doing and what Rubens [Barrichello] is doing. They
are killing everybody. What I think it [his new deal] can do is, with the
exclusive form of the relationship now with Ford and with dedicated
people inside Cosworth, it can give us a different way of going about it.
But it is not in any way saying in anything bad about Honda. The problem
was it respects the two teams so closely, right beside each other like
BAR and Jordan. Of course There was some element of difficulty, certainly
made so by the press saying that we are not having engines, and now it
has made us all easier now.
Q: Niki [Lauda] said it would be the same deal as with Arrows, but it is
not the case?
EJ: I think you'd better go and speak to Niki about it. I think it is
nothing even close to what the reality is.
Q: So the engine supplied will be same spec as that of Jaguar?
EJ: There is a completely new engine which is the Ford Cosworth RS in
line with the new model cars Ford are putting out - you probably notice
the Ford Focus which has a new badge. That is a part of the new Ford
programme. Our car will be known as Jordan Ford and very clearly there
will be an oval mark on the car, a proper Ford partnership relation. The
engine will be called Ford Cosworth RS.
Q: You did not have to pay for that?
EJ: There is no question. That is not the issue. Jordan Ford is the car
and the engine will be Cosworth RS. It will have its own dedicated people
inside Cosworth exclusive to Jordan.
Q: A certain faction in Jaguar are against Ford returning , what did you
have to do to get this deal?
EJ: This is not the time , I really have not had much of an opportunity
to shift through all bits and pieces . My mind for the last 2-3 months
has been enthralled in permutations and combinations. What you said about
Jaguar, I have been devoting my time to Jordan, and as for the people,
the people we were speaking to in Ford were very positive about this. It
will take sometime to put everything in place. With regard to Jaguar,
they are competitor of ours, as they are this year, and I don't think
anything has changed in that.
Q: Does this deal secure your future now?
EJ: For once there is a positive note in Formula One . It gives Jordan
not only much better security in terms of where we are going but in terms
of longevity, a three year deal. We should all rejoice the day when Ford
publicly announced it's back in Formula One in a partnership structure
with Jordan. Jordan is a surviving team I think it is a great day.
Q: Can you close the gap to Ferrari ultimately?
EJ: That is the plan. I don't know in the very short term, what we need
to do is plan. We need momentum . Also Cosworth is a matter of only six
miles away and there was a talk of moving to Silverstone. I don't know
what is going on any more. Six miles door to door. The location is also
quite helpful in the matter .With Cosworth as a customer in 1991, we are
getting Ford Participation but we were a bit naïve. But finally Ford and
ourselves have got together . It is fantastic.
Q: Ford worldwide or Ford Europe - which are we dealing with?
EJ: The agreement we have is by Richard Parry Jones , he is global
whatever that is. Of course we will be working particularly with Ford
Europe because that's the structure that has been done and how we will
make it work. It will all come out in time. We can only speak highly
about Honda for their kind words about us. They were magnanimous in the
way that they went about clarity of the release, which was highly
commendable.
Q: Any chance of Eddie Irvine driving?
EJ: Give me a chance , that was a hard one to take! I could have lots of
replies to that , and I'd be well advised not to answer.
Q: Does this affect Takuma's situation?
EJ: He is a Jordan driver and has a Jordan contract. Of course when the
dust settles a bit we will discuss that because he is part of Honda's
dream, but he is Jordan's driver, and if Honda want to do something ,
they will come to us as we went to them. I have no plans at the moment to
replace Sato. I think he is emerging as a quick driver.
Q: Niki said Jordan are dumping Honda, can you confirm that?
EJ: I think that was very inappropriate use of words. I don't want anyone
to talk about me using that word "dump", I think it is not a nice word.
Q:A top four place in the constructors' championship next year?
EJ: Let me think about other things. You cannot imagine what I have done
night and day. I had worst summer vacation because my wife said if I was
going to be on the phone anymore I should stay at home. She was right. I
had a really difficult time. Making sure all the contractual side of the
things, plus inside Ford, inside Cosworth , making all the plans and the
whole situation is quite exciting.
Q: And the timescale on driver line-up?
EJ: Driver line-up is effectively set so from that point of view, both
drivers know of this . I told them last night there would be news that a
situation has occurred as it is and from that perspective, the drivers at
this moment are not the major criteria in my mind. Of course the drivers
are fundamental to the programme and nevertheless it will unfold and we
have two contracted drivers for next year, whom we are extremely happy
with at this moment.
Q: Your feelings on Honda concentrating on BAR?
EJ: People kind of assume that, but if you read the press release that
they are concentrating on BAR, they have never said that before. They
were equal contracts and you can check that with them. They receive the
same as we do and we receive the same so there is an equal partnership .
Honda have been completely fair and make sure both sides got exactly what
they were promised so of course this allows them to make a choice. They
don't have to make a choice anymore, as they have one team, which they
are looking for. You know their idea was one team, our idea was if we
could get a longer contract that will give us more guarantee for the
future.
Q:Has Arrows not being around partly helped the deal?
EJ: Slightly confusing, but it has absolutely nothing to do with it. It
will be a blue Ford oval on our car and Arrows have nothing to do with
it. I don't know if they will be at the next race, I hope they are, but
it has no bearing on the Jordan Ford relationship. The agreement was
agreed long before Arrows had problems in France or here.
Q: So there will still be a third Cosworth team present next year?
EJ: That is not our concern. Ford have a dedicated group of people
specifically for the development and future of the RS Cosworth engine for
Jordan. No question.
Q:Any worries on Ford's policy of supplying both Jaguar and you?
EJ: What Cosworth do is a matter of Ford's integrity. Our agreement is
with Ford and how Jaguar are structured it is really not my concern. We
will be competitors on the track but we will be part of the same group.
But our agreement is directly with Ford.
Q: So Niki is not part of it?
EJ: Don't get me into political problems . I am not going to respond. I
am here as a person who is passionate about F1 and passionate about
Jordan GP. Having Ford and Jordan together on the grid, I am the happiest
man. I don't want to think about other people outside the team. It is a
great day for Formula one and particularly for Jordan.
--
Automatically gathered from the web by rssizer
Subscribe/unsubcribe at
http://radiobox.kenobi.it/mailman/listinfo/webnews
Contact 
ale...@kenobi.it
 for any problem

 dust settles a bit we will discuss that
Sato ha un contratto, ma non necessariamente un contratto *per
correre*. Un anno da tester e terzo pilota (che potrebbe anche
correre, se la F1 va verso le tre-vetture-per-team) non può IMHO che
fargli bene e farlo maturare.
 
-- 
Alessio F. Bragadini            
ale...@sevenseas.org
"La libertà è una forma di disciplina"

 fargli bene e farlo maturare.
IMHO Sato merita un esame piu' approfondito, ma di certo una stagione da 
tester non gli farebbe per niente male, in modo da accumulare km ed 
esperienza in condizioni diverse senza compromettere i weekend di gara
-- 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 (o_        Vinci                     registered Linux User #276630
 //\           " I find your lack of faith disturbing "
 V_/_            Darth Vader, Star Wars : A New Hope