Having undergone an intensive testing programme since January, Jordan Ford unveiled its EJ13 in full racing regalia at Barcelona on Monday.
Having undergone an intensive testing programme since January, Jordan Ford unveiled its EJ13 in full racing regalia at Barcelona on Monday.
With only three weeks to go before the start of the season in Melbourne, team boss Eddie Jordan and his two drivers, Ralph Firman and Giancarlo Fisichella, unveiled the car shortly before the team resumed their four-day test session.
The team has tested the car for most of the off-season in carbon fibre black, and in Jordan’s traditional yellow during testing at Valencia last week. The new livery features major sponsor Benson and Hedges, and the blue Ford logo, making its return to a F1 car since the Stewart team became Jaguar in the 2000 season.
“The yellow colour has allowed Jordan to set itself apart from the rest of the Formula One teams, and I am pleased with the look of this car” said Eddie Jordan. “It’s always exciting to see a car’s new livery and it is particularly important this year, with Ford joining a host of long-time sponsors.”
The team has released very little information about the Eghbal Hamidy-designed EJ13, but the most apparent change from the maligned EJ13 is the introduction of the Cosworth engine, which experts say is lighter, more powerful and has a lower of centre of gravity than the Honda powerplant used last year.
For the past six weeks the Silverstone-based team has concentrated on chassis balance work, engine mapping, evaluating brake materials and gearbox settings and conducted a tyre testing programme for Japanese supplier, Bridgestone.
“We still have a bit to do here and there, but we have made progress,” said Gary Anderson, Jordan’s director of race and test engineering.
“We haven’t had any major problems with the EJ13 and we are beginning to understand the car better. It’s encouraging that we are lapping a second quicker around Barcelona than we were last year,” he added.
