Jordan’s Race Team Manager, Jim Vale, is leaving the team after ten years of loyal service. The Japanese Grand Prix was Jim’s last experience as the pit stop ‘lollipop man’ as he retires from F1 this week to return to his native Australia.  F1jordan.com caught up with him for a chat before he heads off.

You joined Jordan in 1991 - what was your role?
"I began work as a mechanic, although I didn’t do any races that year as I joined to help build the prototype car in preparation for the Yamaha engine in 1992.  I spent the season working with Tim Edwards (now Jordan’s Technical Operations Manager and Test Team Manager) to graft a Yamaha engine onto the 191 Jordan while the others finished off the season’s races. Once the season had finished, we all began testing together."

"In 1992 I worked on the test team - I call it a test team but it was very different to a test team of today. There were just two mechanics and a truckie and we travelled all round Europe testing and I also stood in for other people at a couple of races."

When did you start travelling to Grands Prix?
"I was No 1 mechanic for Rubens Barrichello in 1993 and 1994, but then I left to go back to Australia at the end of the year."

But you came back!  How did that happen?
The Team Manager at Jordan asked me to come back as Chief Mechanic.  It was a role I had discussed before I left the UK, but the timing wasn’t right at the time.  So I stayed in Australia for six months working as Chief Mechanic for an Australian touring car team and returned to Jordan in June 1995. I came back as Chief Mechanic for the remainder of that year, and for 1996 and 1997.  Late in the 1997 season, the Team Manager left and I took on his role in addition to my own; I was officially appointed Team Manager in 1998.  Since then I have overseen all logistics for the race and test crews."

Managing the team must be quite different to the hands-on running of the cars. How did you find the transition?
I found it a little difficult at first as I was thrown in at the deep end when I first inherited the Team Manager role.  I really didn’t know much about it and had an incredibly short hand-over period, although it was an enjoyable challenge.  Being in this role certainly takes you away from the mechanical side of the team and having been a mechanic for quite a while I was happy to ‘get off the spanners’ and take on something new.  I just learnt as I went along and it was easier when a new Chief Mechanic was appointed and I could concentrate solely on the Team Manager role."

What are your most distinct memories from racing with Jordan?
"I have so many memories from the past ten years.  Barrichello’s drive at Donington in 1993 ... It was wet, dry, wet, dry throughout the whole race and we did a staggering amount of pit stops and tyre changes.  He drove a fantastic race and was in second or third for the majority of the time - unfortunately he didn’t finish but it was still great fun.  A high moment was all of 1994, which was a good year with good results for us.  A low was Imola 1994 when Rubens had a big accident.  I really enjoyed 1997 with Fisichella and Ralf as I rate Fisi very highly as a driver and he had an exceptional year that year.  It’s a shame I won’t be able to work with him again next year. "

And what about your memories of the team?
"I have so many fond memories but many couldn’t be described or repeated! The great end-of-season and Christmas parties with the team, sponsors and engine partners. It’s hard to believe that when I started at Jordan, we had our Christmas parties in the reception area of the factory - that’s how small our team was then!"

Jordan must have changed a lot in 10 years.
"The team has grown vastly since 1991 and I do sometimes look back to the good old days and think about how much the sport as a whole, as well as the team, has changed. Jordan has kept a great feeling of togetherness and we all know everybody.  But as we’ve grown and roles have become more specific with added departments and increased workloads, the personal side has inevitably decreased.  Before, there were so few of us that we had to be very good at multi-tasking and adaptable to different roles to help each other out."

Which drivers will you remember and are there any you won’t miss?
"Rubens Barrichello was the last driver I worked with closely, although I also enjoyed our days with Giancarlo Fisichella and Ralf Schumacher and later Heinz-Harald Frentzen.  Stefano Modena was challenging to work with and could be a bit difficult sometimes. He was so superstitious and had very set ways of doing things with rituals that you just couldn’t interfere with!"

Why are you leaving F1 and what will you do now?
"I’ve had 10 years of really enjoying what I do and some great experiences.  But in the back of my mind I have always wanted to go back to Australia eventually, so the job offer to be the Team and Factory Manager of an Australian Touring Car Team (Gibson Motorsport) was a good surprise - it came out of the blue.  Over time I have become a bit weary with F1 because compared to 10 years ago there is a lot more ‘red tape’ and so on.  I’ve had a good time but I’ve done it for long enough now and think it’s time for a change and have more of a family life."
 
What will you miss when you go?
"I certainly won’t miss the weather!  But I will miss the incredible friends I have made here in England over the last 20 years.  I’ll still follow F1 and get up early in the morning to watch it and I won’t be missing out on travelling as I’ll still do that with touring cars, but on a different scale as it will only be round Australia."

Jordan will miss Jim big time!  He has done an outstanding job of managing the team and making sure everything and everyone is where they should be, and features in many team members’ personal memories.  Jim will be remembered particularly for always coming straight to the point, and for his passion for ice cream, stemming from boyhood when his parents owned an ice cream shop, when (in Jim’s words) "I used to sneak downstairs and help myself."  Clearly a lifelong addiction, as he has been caught making frequent visits to the freezer in the motorhome kitchen at the track ...

All the best in Oz, Jim!  Keep rooting for Jordan ...