The end for Jordan, Minardi, Sauber and BAR

[Kicking-back]

Four teams make their final appearance with their current names at the Chinese Grand Prix.

Without getting into the politics of that - what are your best memories of these teams?

For me - Jordan - the first win at Spa 1998

Minardi - Occasional giantkilling acts with Martini on the front row - and Christian Fittipaldi's famous Monza flip

Sauber - 4th on the grid at their debut Grand Prix

BAR - A strong 2004, a pointless 1999

[Knowlesy]

By best memories, I'll go by fondest memories.

Jordan - that first win with Damon and that epic, giant killing 1999 season.

Minardi - their willingness to give new guys a chance, any time they scored points and the ensuing celebrations!

Sauber - Peter Sauber himself, a great human being. The 2001 season!

BAR - the ousting of Craig Pollock and the Dave Richards era.

[TheNewBob]

Memories I hold...

Jordan - Again, the first win, particularly seeing EJ dancing around with joy in the pit lane! Also their traction control system seems to sound like a big fart...?

Minardi - Martini on the front row at Phoenix '90, their ability to generally stay within 3-4 seconds of teams with a budget over ten times the size of their own.

Sauber - I thought the '93 car was a lovely looking machine! Generally haven't been that much of a fan of Sauber though.

BAR - Claims of "we can win our first GP" and consequently failing to score a single point all year...

[Adam43]

Jordan: Spa '98 and chosing their car in Microprose GP1.

Minardi: Nurburgring '99. Heartache. Phoenix '90.

Sauber: It is all Silver prototypes for me.

BAR: Carbon fibre toilet seats. Eau Rouge '99. Fuel tanks.

[Snrub]

I have cheered for the private teams of late because it's been such an uphill battle for them as they fought off the inevitable.

Jordan: Fighting above their weight around '98-'00.
Minardi: ~2002 when they were last periodically beating manufacturer teams on a small fraction of the budget.
Sauber: I really liked last year when Fisi was kicking the butts of many of the works teams.
BAR: I can't think of anything particularly interesting about them... They've effectively been a works Honda team for a few years now so there's nothing particularly different about it becoming all Honda.

[Louis B.]

The following is what comes to my mind at the moment:

Jordan (my 5 year old son's favourite team): the peculiar design and livery of their cars (the hornet / snake nose cones were also cool); their pit babes

Minardi: PS performance at the Friday press conference of the Montreal GP 2003;

Sauber: Nice looking cars; brought us HHF, Kimi, NH, FM, etc. and was a port of refuge for Alesi and JV; We will also miss Peter Sauber; and woops! before I forget: JV's win in China 2005.

BAR: JV's biggest mistake; awful liveries (the one with the "zhipper" in particular); Pollock ; David Richards ; Bon déBARras!

[jhansen]

Jordan: Eddie Jordan, the win in 1998, the 1999 season, outscoring BAR in 2001 and 2002 with Honda engines, and their last win at Interlagos in 2003

Minardi: Their determination and fighting spirit

Sauber: Peter Sauber, the 2001 season, and the silver prototypes (always)

BAR: The 2004 season and all of those JV-David Richards threads

[GolddustMini]

Originally Posted by Kicking-back

For me - Jordan - the first win at Spa 1998

Minardi - Occasional giantkilling acts with Martini on the front row - and Christian Fittipaldi's famous Monza flip

the above PLUS

jordan - that beautiful 7up car!, the giant killing, eddie jordan, the nosecones!


minardi - happiest team on the pitwall, the "WE CAN GO RACING EVEN THOUGH WE AINT GONNA WIN" spirit, what sport is about

sauber - dont have any

BAR - the split livery, did it to prove a point which they themselves rapidly forgot about!

[BootsOntheSide]

Jordan - probably the double podium at Canada 95 after such a poor start to the season, or Damon's win at Spa

Minardi - Most of their great results were before my time, but Melbourne 2002 was special, as were some of Alonso's drives the year before.

Sauber - Those black cars looked awesome, but I suppose some of Kimi's rookie results stick out

BAR - Jenson's charge from 13th to 2nd at Hockenheim last year

[Nintendo]

Jordan - Spa 1998 and their original 1991 car.
Minardi - Europe 1999 or Melbourne 2002
Sauber - Erm...............................Wendliger
BAR: Split livery.

[Bononi]

Jordan - 1999 season for sure, almost...
Minardi - The brave eary years.
Sauber - JJ Letho perhaps.
BAR - It was Tyrrell, sorry

[Mekola]

I have some objections: in fact the last year of Jordan was 2004 cos this year was a transition one with new owners, BAR personnel would only changing the name of their patrons, and Minardi... no matter who is the owner, Giancarlo will still be there.
But attending this thread, my best memories are:

Jordan: 1999 season, from France onwards
Sauber: First two years, 1993-94, and the four races that Norberto Fontana used to race with them in 1997.
BAR: 2003 - the waking year with Button
Minardi: as just 'Minardi', at 1989-1990 seasons, when they could put their car at the lead (P. Martini at Estoril 1989); during other periods: in 2001, when they permit Fernando Alonso to do a stunning debut year.

[Jordi]

Jordan... the Hill win, man was that glory or what?

Minardi... Minardi was Minardi. The team that always was there. The ones everyone had a small place in their hearts.

Sauber: Heinz-Harald. Kimi. Petronas. How to race without making noise but being good enough.

BAR: I'd like to think that even if Pollocks and Reynards have long left, the core of the team is still there since the very tough days of 1999, the mechanics that replaced piece after piece (Especially at Spa). And the first bearded podium in 20 years, courtesy of Jacques at Montmeló 2001...

[DKGandBH]

Jordan - A Mid field running team that lost it in the last years
Minardi - Webber in his Debut Race at the AUS GP
Sauber - nothing in particular except they paid too much for their engines (as did Prost)
BAR - JV Laughing all the way to the bank...

DKGandBH

[Dixie Flatline]

Jordan - letting the talent of someone like Michael Schumacher walking around the paddock without a contract.
Minardi - Webber's fifth in the Australian Grand Prix, holding off Mika Salo in the Toyota
Sauber - efficient little team that did well without having the proper budget to excel; oh, and giving JV another chance.
BAR - starting the latest trend of a faceless corporation taking over a well-loved team, as well as pandering to the ego of JV for possibly too long (which JV just about acknowledges in his latest interview, even if obliquely).

[Inigo Montoya]

Here is how I will remember the teams:
Jordan: Schumacher and Barrichello's first drives, plus Fischella's first win.
Minardi: Giancarlo Fisichella, Jarno Trulli, Fernando Alonso and Mark Webber all got their starts here
Sauber: Their innovative twin keel car (C20?) of 2001
BAR: The team that killed Jacques Villeneuve's career

[JABWOA]

For me:
Jordan: the '91 green car (and MS), Irvine at Suzuka in '93, Eddie Jordan (nuff said)
Minardi: proud battlers, but esp Badoer(IIRC) at Nurburgring in '99 had a podium but slid off the track (not his fault due to the conditions) and just cried in car at missed oppertuinity. Heartfelt.
Sauber: NH and KR battling each other, great to watch until you realised they were battling for real points!
BAR: for making HUGE promises at the beggining and interesting paint jobs, but never delivering close until this year.

[mabs_nsx]

Originally Posted by DKGandBH

Jordan - A Mid field running team that lost it in the last years

Originally Posted by Inigo Montoya

Jordan: Schumacher and Barrichello's first drives, plus Fischella's first win.
Minardi: Giancarlo Fisichella, Jarno Trulli, Fernando Alonso and Mark Webber all got their starts here

Originally Posted by jhansen

Jordan: Eddie Jordan and their last win at Interlagos in 2003

Minardi: Their determination and fighting spirit

I didn't watch many races before 2003 so I don't have alot of memories.

The above +

BAR: BAR leading the 2003 US GP. They looked set to at worst finish second which wounld have been both Button's and BAR's first podium until an engine faliure. BAR's and Button's first podium in the 2004 Malaysia GP, BAR's 2004 season and BAR is my favorite F1 team.
Sauber: Don't have any

It will not be the same without Jordan, Minardi and Sauber in F1 next year. BAR will not really have changed much. The only thing different will be the name.

[Gerben24]

Originally Posted by mabs_nsx

It will not be the same without Jordan, Minardi and Sauber in F1 next year.

It might get better...

[BertMk2]

Jordan - The fantastic 191 and 197 (my favourite F1 cars), Irvine at Suzuka, the first win, the 99 season, Fisi's first (bizarre) win, bringing life and humour to the pitlane.

Minardi - backmarkers but on a bang per buck basis probably one of the best teams on the grid (if not the best). Great at bringing through rookies. Luca Badoer in tears after retiring (can't remember what year that was)

Sauber - Quiet, unfussed team, there to race.

BAR - Initially arrogant soon brought crashing to earth (we'll win our first race -> no points all year), the hideous 'zipper' livery, being outperformed by Jordan despite Honda input, the fuel tank thing, the Jenson leaving/staying thing and of course - Taku.


Sad to see Jordan, Minardi and Sauber go.

[Skam85]

More than likely will!

Jordan - Ralf hitting anything that moved in 1997, first win in 1998, 2003 confusion in Brazil as to who won.

Minardi - Fittipaldi's flip in Monza, Webber scoring points on debut in Melbourne 2002 (I was there!)

BAR - coming from bugger all in 1999 to finishing in 4th and 5th in the first race of 2000. Button impressing me in Hockenheim last year 13th to 2nd.

Sauber - pretty much an invisible team, but kudos for last so long. 2001 was a great season for them. Frentzen's podium in USA 2003 stood out as a great drive.

[Rennen]

With the exception of BAR...Minardi and Jordan at least offered the chance for up and coming young drivers to get a race...even if they had to pay!

[BootsOntheSide]

BAR allowed Sato and Zonta to race.

[Rennen]

Correction! Honda paid Sato to race...Zonta was before our time...was that his first F1 drive if so then I stand corrected :-) Manning, Fukuda AD and others all tested their hearts out in vain...Oh to have a famous daddy or tons of cash behind you!

[Jordi]

Zonta's first drive was BAR, though I think he had tested for McLaren, as he drove Mercedes in the FIA GT thing.

Thing is, even if BAR have been some kind of a corporate take over of a very popular team, it is now probably my favourite team, if I had to choose one. They have beautiful car liveries (bar the 2001-2002 boring ones), they seem to have a cool attitude about it ("Let's go for 400 kph at Bonneville!"), they are more open than seemingly others...