“ Monaco was a good weekend for us apart from the end result. We had two drivers on the front two rows and we ran strongly in the top four for most of the race. It was very disappointing not to come away with any points, however, I think the team has taken a large step forward and we are positive going to Canada” commented Technical Director Mike Gascoyne.

Historically the Gilles Villeneuve Circuit has been good for Jordan. Jordan Grand Prix won its first Championship points in Canada in 1991, the team’s debut year, with fourth and fifth place finishes for Andrea de Cesaris and Bertrand Gachot. Canada 1995 was one of the team’s best Grand Prix; two podiums with Rubens Barrichello second and Eddie Irvine third. There were more points for Jordan in 1996 when Martin Brundle finished sixth, and in 1997 when Giancarlo Fisichella finished second – the first podium of his career. In 1998 the Jordan Mugen-Honda and Damon Hill were running in third place, a podium finish in sight, when Hill was forced to retire with an electrical problem. “We have had some excellent results in Montreal,” says Jordan Grand Prix’s Chief Executive, Eddie Jordan. “It is a race which most people who work in Formula One look forward to because of the great atmosphere in the city and at the track, and it is certainly one which I enjoy greatly because of all the good memories it holds. Let’s hope we can add another good year to the history books.”

Echoing Jordan’s thoughts, Heinz-Harald Frentzen adds, “I am always looking forward to visiting Montreal, not only because of the race track, but also because I really like the city. There is always a fantastic atmosphere during the Grand Prix weekend and I really enjoy racing there”. The speed is very hard for the brakes, which I know only too well from my experience during last year’s race when I crashed heavily three laps before the end due to brake failure. It cost me the second place so let’s hope I have more luck this year round”.


Heinz-Harald Frentzen runs through a lap of Montreal

“On the start finish straight you just reach sixth gear, but it is not the fastest part of the track. At the first left hander you try not to carry too much speed – you have to shift down from 6th to 3rd gear – and then you go into the hairpin which is very tight. You have to set yourself up for the hairpin, which is in first gear before you enter the first left hander.

Out of the hairpin you try to get traction down. It is very slippery. The track is similar to Monaco but much more bumpy. You accelerate out from the hairpin and reach fourth gear when you enter the first chicane. It is not a dangerous chicane, but you cannot make any mistakes as you are so close to the guardrail – that is definitely like Monaco. The quickest corner of the track comes next. It is a blind right-hander which is flat. Not too difficult, but you need to have a good balance because if the car is too nervous you lose some track making the next left hander. Here you brake down into second gear and take it much the same as the first chicane. You try and accelerate out of it early to get the momentum to find the speed in the straight. The third chicane of the track is a little faster than the others. You brake down from sixth to second, and again, get on the power early to go back up to sixth gear. Then you reach what is the slowest hairpin of the track. You come out of that to enter the very long straight where you reach speeds of over 320 km/hour. This is the longest and fastest part of the track before you head for the last corner combination which you brake heavily into. This chicane is a little dangerous as there is a concrete wall on the exit and if you are too quick on the exit you can easily get caught out.

The Benson and Hedges Jordan team has spent the past three days in Monza, a circuit which, like Montreal, is hard on the brakes and has a low downforce set up. Testing went well without any problems and the team concentrated on running the car in similar conditions to what will be experienced in Canada. Jordan Grand Prix Technical Director Mike Gascoyne added, “Canada is characterised as one of the hardest braking circuits that the team visits during the season. With its long straights the car runs relatively low downforce. The EJ10 is very good under braking and we feel the car should be particularly suited to Canada.”

Jordan Grand Prix