Heinz-Harald Frentzen
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Having joined the F1 world back in 1991, Jordan are now starting their second decade of racing. Eddie Jordan commented, �The team has a lot of history at Silverstone. Jordan Grand Prix has been based here since 1990 � the year that we started up. I also began Eddie Jordan Racing in 1980 from a lock up unit � which we still own today - within Silverstone Circuit, before we moved to our current factory across the road in December 1991.� Although Silverstone has a special feeling being the home circuit and race for Jordan, the team has seen mixed fortunes here over the years. Hope remains however, that the points scoring form that Jordan has achieved at this race in the last five years will continue into this season.
Visitors to Jordan Honda over the British Grand Prix weekend will notice a new 5.2 acre site adjacent to the team�s existing headquarters which has been cleared for the construction of a new factory. At 124,200 square feet, the �26million facility will be nearly double the size of Jordan�s current premises and will incorporate a state-of-the-art wind tunnel. The new factory will compliment the existing facility, with occupation scheduled for early 2003 and the wind tunnel commissioned in time for the 2004 season.
On to the race itself, thankfully returning to its traditional summer weekend this year after the water logged Easter race in 2000, round eleven of the World Championship is the home race for seven of the eleven teams. A medium downforce and technical circuit, with a mixture of high and low speed corners with some long straights makes Silverstone quite physically demanding, although quite popular among the drivers.
Jarno Trulli
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Heinz-Harald likes the fact that more of the team can attend Silverstone than any other race. �I really like Silverstone and it�s possibly one of the best circuits we race on. There is a nice mixture of quick and challenging corners with high speed straights, but also the slower and twisty grandstand section at the end of the track. A lot of Jordan staff and family members come to this race and it�s a great atmosphere with everyone cheering us on.�
At the end of the day, F1 is all about scoring points. �It feels good to come to Silverstone having scored points in France and it would be great to perform well at this circuit,� commented Jarno, looking for more, �particularly as it is quite technical and difficult. Being so close to the team�s factory, nearly everyone from Jordan comes to the circuit over the weekend and it feels great to have that support behind you.�
Jordan go into their home race one point behind 4th placed Sauber, a situation they will want to correct, as Eddie explained. �It always feels good to race on home ground and Silverstone usually has a great atmosphere. Drivers and teams all want to perform well in front of their home crowds and fans, and it�s great for Jordan to be back on form leading up to the British Grand Prix having scored points in France. We still have a lot of work to do but must keep focused and push on in order to continue in the same vein and score more points.�
