2002 European GP

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 has been revised for 2002.

Eddie Jordan, Chief Executive
"The European Grand Prix was a ‘nearly’ race for us in 1999 when we qualified on pole position and then led the race for 32 laps. We have all been encouraged by our results from the last three races, thanks to the team’s hard work and Giancarlo’s incredible expertise.

It is important that we now look forward and focus on improving the car further so the drivers can continue to deliver points. I want to see Jordan close the gap on the teams immediately ahead of us in the Championship and I am optimistic about achieving that."

David Coulthard was quickest in practice at the wheel of his McLaren, while DHL Jordan Honda enjoyed a productive day with time spent concentrating on heavy fuel loads and setting the cars up to suit the revised Nurburgring circuit. Takuma Sato was the faster of the two Jordan drivers, setting the 12th quickest time, while Giancarlo Fisichella is confident that his 17th fastest time is not representative of how the team will perform tomorrow.

Michael Schumacher emerged quickest in this morning's practice sessions in Nurburgring, with Finland's Kimi Raikkonen a full half a second adrift in second spot. For DHL Jordan Honda it was a constructive morning for Takuma Sato, while Giancarlo Fisichella had a more difficult time, some minor problems losing him track time in the first session.

Juan Pablo Montoya achieved a hat-trick of pole positions in successive races when he headed team mate Ralf Schumacher in qualifying by nine thousandths of a second to give Williams domination of the front row of the grid for tomorrow's European Grand Prix. For DHL Jordan Honda qualifyin brought disappointment for Giancarlo Fisichella, down in 18th position, while team mate Takuma Sato outqualified him for the second time this season to line up a solid 14th.

The DHL Jordan Honda team was generally disappointed by today's qualifying performance, and tonight will be spent trying to ensure that the race set-up enables Takuma Sato and Giancarlo Fisichella to race aggressively from their lower than expecting starting positions.

Rubens Barrichello and Michael Schumacher headed the warm-up times this morning, with Bridgestone-shod teams dominating the front half of the field and the DHL Jordan Honda team finishing 6th and 7th with Takuma Sato slightly ahead of Giancarlo Fisichella. The Williams pair of Ralf Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya were well down the order, suggesting that they may be opting for a one-stop strategy in the race, their lap times three seconds off Barrichello's pace.

Giancarlo Fisichella retired at the mid-point of the 60 lap European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring after damage sustained in a first corner collision with team mate Takuma Sato forced him to stop. The left hand sidepod of his Jordan Honda EJ12 had been damaged in the incident when Fisico slid off line at the entrance to Turn 1 and slid into the unfortunate Sato.

Takuma Sato finished a difficult European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring, recovering from the first corner collision with team mate Giancarlo Fisichella to complete the race distance in 16th position. The Japanese ace had made a good start when Fisichella's Jordan Honda slid wide at the first corner and hit his car, forcing him to join the Italian in making a pit stop at the end of the first lap.