Eighty seven days after the curtain came down on the 2001 season in Japan, the Jordan Honda F1 cars will be back in action, at the first test session of the new year.

New drivers, Giancarlo Fisichella, returning to Jordan after a four year spell with Benetton, and Takuma Sato will join eight other teams who are all due to test at the Circuit de Catalunya, outside Barcelona, starting on 9th January. Our boys will be at the wheel of EJ11s, with some development parts for the EJ12, which is scheduled to be ready later this month. With last year's two month testing ban and a break for the end of year festivities, this is the longest period that the howl of Formula One V10 engines has not been heard.

Most of the teams will be running with modified versions of their 2001 cars, with the exception of Toyota and BAR, who launched their new cars in December and Jaguar, who unveil the R3, this coming Friday in Milton Keynes.

The testing ban means that all the teams will be working flat out between now and the end of February, when cars and equipment are shipped off to Melbourne, for the opening round of the season on 3rd March. After Barcelona, Jordan stays in Spain, for a test in Valencia from 15th to 17th January. A few days later, they will be back in action at Silverstone from 22nd to 24th January, before returning to Spain (Barcelona 29th January to 1st February, Valencia 5th to 11th February.)  A final pre-Oz shakedown is scheduled for 18th to 20th February at Silverstone.