Jordan Win Appeal !!!!

27th October 2001. Jordan GP today won their appeal against the disqualification of Jarno Trulli’s car from the US GP due to a technical infringement. The FIA Appeal Court in Paris heard the case and ruled that the original result should stand on the grounds that a steward was absent from the original hearing. The rules state that 3 stewards should be present. The ruling restores Jarno’s hard earned 3 points, giving him a total of 12 for the season. He finishes in 9th position in the Driver’s Championships: although he is on the same number of points as Villeneuve (7th) and Heidfeld (8th), they both had 3rd places during the year, while Jarno’s best position was 4th.  This decision also elevates Jordan to 5th place in the Constructors Championship with 19 points, ahead of BAR with 17.

14th October 2001

japanese gp. the race.

During the race today the lead changed every few minutes once the pit stops were under way, but the race finished with the usual winner…..Michael Schumacher. All 6 drivers from the top 3 teams finished in places 1 to 6, so no points for the also-rans today. Jenson Button was 7th and Jarno finished where he started, in 8th place. Very few retirements on a day that saw Mika Hakkinen’s last race before taking a year off and Jean Alesi’s last race in F1. Jean had finished all the other races this season, first in a Prost and then a Jordan, so it was sad that his last race finished early when Kimi Raikkonen had a massive spin that took him off the track and heavily into the wall. Unfortunately, Jean was unable to avoid him and consequently crashed out himself. Ralf Schumacher incurred a stop/go penalty for overtaking by  shortcutting a chicane and should have had another for crossing the white line coming out of the pits where he also overtook Barrichello. Race results: MS, JPM, DC,Mika, Rubens, Ralf. Today’s result leaves Benson and Hedges Jordan Honda in 6 th place in the World Championship for Constructors, pending the outcome of the team’s appeal against the exclusion of Jarno Trulli from the US Grand Prix.

Jarno Trulli Car 11  Position: 8th  Chassis: EJ 11 / 05

“I really wanted to win points for Jordan before leaving, and I think we deserved to do so. But it was a tough race and we were not competitive enough today. I just was not able to go any faster – I don’t know why we were so slow. I feel really down about finishing the season like this but I have good memories from my two years at Jordan. These years have been a very important stepping stone in my career I want to say thank you to my mechanics, engineers and all my friends in the team.”

Jean Alesi Car 12 Position: DNF – accident .  Chassis: EJ11 / 04

“It is sad to finish my career this way, but that is motor racing and I have to accept this situation. Both Kimi and I were really lucky to get away without any injuries and I am so relieved that I did not hurt him as he spun right in front of me and there was no way I could avoid him. There are just too many people I would like to thank so I can only really say that I think they know who they all are and I will be seeing them again! A special thanks goes to Eddie and the Jordan team. We have had a lot of fun over these past races.”

Eddie Jordan, Chief Executive

“There is not a lot to say about today. I feel for Jean as this was a sad way to end his career. He is very philosophical about it though, and has clearly enjoyed the weekend immensely. Jarno deserved better this season with us – he had a particularly unlucky season.”

 

13th October 2001

japanese gp. qualifying.

Straightforward qualifying in warm and dry condtions saw the usual crowd come out on top. The usual crowd apart from Fisichella who was 6th! Don’t suppose Jarno will be too depressed about that though. Jarno himself was 8th, team mate Jean Alesi 11th. In spite of traffic spoiling two of Jarno’s qualifying runs today, that makes qualifying for the season 15-2 to Jarno against any team mate. Just one less than Michael Schumacher against Barrichello. Top 10: MS, JPM, Ralf, Rubens, Mika, Fisi, DC, Jarno, Jenson (oh no!), NH. 

Jean Alesi Car 12   Position: 11th Time: 1.34.420  Chassis: EJ11 / 04

Jarno Trulli Car 11  Position: 8th  Time: 1.34.002  Chassis: EJ11 / 05

T-car Chassis: EJ11 / 03

“Today’s result was a little disappointing as the car felt very good and I think I could have been in sixth

position if I had not been held up by traffic on my fastest lap (second outing). Unfortunately, however, I lost a lot of time in the second section on that run, and then I was not able to improve the time on the final two outings. Nevertheless, it was not a bad result and I feel I got the best out of the car. I think Jean was having fun out on the track – he came up and gave me a big hug at the end of the session. He and I have had a lot of fun together over these last few races. We will all miss him.”

Trevor Foster, Joint Managing Director

“We had hoped for slightly better grid positions than we achieved, although we were not a million miles away from where we expected to be. I think Jarno was unlucky not to have made P6, but ultimately he wasn’t able to put together his best sector times in one lap. The session was trouble free, though, and it was good to see Jean enjoying himself.” 

 

13th October 2001

japanese gp. saturday practice.

The Jordan drivers did not appear until the last few minutes of the first session, only completing 4 laps each. Jarno did manage to leap straight into 8th place however and Alesi was 13th. Quickest was MS in session one, although he was eclipsed by his brother at the end of the second session. Jarno only completed 11 laps over both sessions, but finished 6th quickest. Alesi was still 13th! Top 6 overall: Ralf, JPM, DC , MS, Button, Jarno.

 

12th October 2001

japanese gp. friday practice.

Jean Alesi marked his final Friday Free Practice session in Formula One by finishing first amongst the runners  at the Suzuka Circuit in Japan, with a time of 1.35.454. Jarno finished the session in 11th place, very happy with the work he and his team completed during the day. Both Benson and Hedges Jordan Honda drivers enjoyed

trouble free sessions. Prost driver Tomas Enge crashed  at the end of the first session and the mechanics were unable to repair it in time for the second session. During the second session, Nick Heidfeld had a big accident all on his own, destroying his Sauber in the process. Top 10: Jean Alesi, JPM, de la Rosa, Mika, HHF, Irvine, DC, MS, Ralf, Rubens.

Jean Alesi Car 12  Position: 1st   Time: 1.35.454 Chassis: EJ11 / 04

Jarno Trulli Car 11 Position: 11th Time: 1.37.564 Chassis: EJ11 / 05

T-car Chassis: EJ11 / 03

“Today was a really very good session without any real problems. We did a lot of laps, concentrating on race car set up and I feel confident about how things are going to go as today the car felt very balanced. We still need to make improvements to the rear end, particularly to traction, but I feel we worked very well today, so overall my feeling is very positive for the weekend.”

 

japanese gp. preview.

Jarno Trulli on the Japanese Grand Prix:

“Suzuka is a very technical circuit so it can be hard to get the best car set-up at this track. It’s also

one of most challenging circuits, together with Spa and Monaco. I have a lot of supporters in Japan

and it’s Honda’s home race, so this race is very important to me.”

CHASSIS DETAILS FOR THIS RACE

Jarno Trulli EJ11 / 05

Jean Alesi EJ11 / 04

T-car (set up for Trulli pre race) EJ11 / 03

Spare chassis EJ11 / 06

 

STOP PRESS: Jarno was disqualified from the USGP after scrutineering when his skid board under the car was found to measure only 7.5mm when it should have been 10mm.

Jordan Grand Prix are appealing. It is believed that two fasteners came loose possibly after the incident with Raikonnen. Jarno himself has said that by the end of the race the plank was almost detached from the car, so there could be no perfomannce gain.