Nurburgring, Germany 30 May 2004


Set high in the Eifel Mountains, rain is usually a frequent occurrence at Nurburgring, making the racing here generally quite exciting. The current circuit is built over the pit lane area of the former Nordschleife track - the fourteen mile circuit that ceased to be used after Niki Lauda's crash in 1976, after which time the German Grand Prix moved to Hockenheim for seven years. Revisions to the Nurburgring made the track safer and it reopened as a Grand Prix circuit in 1984. Now boasting modern facilities, the track provides a mixture of corners with some long straights, large gravel traps for improved safety and two good opportunities for overtaking. The first section of the track was revised for 2002, to a mixed response from the drivers.

 

European Grand Prix

Nick Heidfeld and Giorgio Pantano finished 10th and 13th for Jordan Ford in today’s European Grand Prix, with Heidfeld racing for position right to the finish line after rapaciously closing in on Felipe Massa during the race’s final laps. Following a strong start, Pantano’s race was beset at half distance by a transmission downshift problem which slowed his pace and constrained him to concentrating on bringing home the car.

Qualifying at the European Grand Prix

Jordan Ford worked hard overnight and this morning to improve the EJ14’s balance, with Nick Heidfeld and Giorgio Pantano demonstrating the car’s better handling by finishing 13th and 15th in the team’s best qualifying result of the season, also putting Jordan in the top qualifying positions for Bridgestone-shod cars after the Ferraris.

Free Practice in Europe

After Free Practcie at the European Grand Prix James Robinson, Head of Race and Test Engineering said "At Nürburgring it is very important to be on the right tyre for the race as it’s a circuit that you can race at, and that is what we have been focusing on today. We will have to look at the data very carefully to decide which way to go in terms of tyres for the rest of the weekend. It was a good day from a mechanical point of view with no problems and we got through our programme of concentrating on getting a good race car."

Promoting Nurburgring
The team is participating in a range of activities to promote this year’s event: Eddie Jordan and his band V-10 will be playing charity concerts on 28 and 29 May at 2100hrs at “Start & Ziel” while Nick Heidfeld and Timo Glock will take fans on ‘taxi rides’ round the Nürburgring circuit in Ford road cars on 27 and 29 May as part of a competition arranged by the Grand Prix organisers.  In addition, during the public pit lane access on Thursday 27 May, all three Jordan drivers will be in the Jordan pits to meet fans and sign autographs.

 

Fan chooses Bahrain message
The Message from Bahrain at the European Grand Prix has been selected from the suggestions of Formula One fans who entered a competition organised by German magazines AutoBild and AutoBild Motorsport.  The emblem on the Jordan Ford EJ14 engine covers is the official logo of “European enlargement” which celebrates the enlargement of the European Union - the entrance of new member states encouraging the spread of European harmony and goodwill.

 

European Grand Prix Preview

Inspired by a two-point finish in Monaco with Nick Heidfeld, Jordan Ford now heads directly to Nürburgring, Germany to prepare for the European Grand Prix.  Jordan came close to winning this race in 1999 with Heinz-Harald Frentzen, a Drivers’ Championship contender that year, who started from pole position and led the race for 32 laps before he had a problem with the electronics which caused his retirement.