Jordan - Mercedes?

[Super Tourer]

According to Motorsport News, EJ is getting a bit twitchy over Honda's engine supply for 2003. EJ's coming round to the idea (at last!), that Honda may concentrate on a single team - and it's unlikely to be Jordan (IMO).


Apparently DHL are looking at smoothing a path for Merc to supply Jordan. I guess that DHL are a big buyer of vans & trucks from Mercedes. It did occur to me that if DHL are such big buddy's with Mercedes, why didn't they sponsor McLaren?

Anyway, Renault are also considering supplying a second team, if there is less testing.

We like a good rumour, don't we....

[f1manoz]

I've heard stranger rumours than this, and Honda are probably just as unhappy that the Jordan chassis is a pig, contrary to all reports that it's all Hondas fault.

With the tobacco sponsorship ending, and Honda most likely going to link up with BAR/Richards, Jordan will probably be left in the lurch as in regards to engines.

[neilap]

Mugen Honda. That could be a name resurrected in F1. Jordan might just be the ones to have it. After all they did pretty good with em didn't they?

[BennyBoy1978]

May be NH will Join Jordan then if they get a Merc power plant as I don't they'd want to keep Sato if he isn't giving them an engine

[EERO]

Super T, Mercedes have been adament about not wanting to add a second team to their supply. Given the problems that Illmor have had, I doubt the Merc would be an improvement over the Honda!!

Anyway, as long as DaimlerChrysler owns a piece of McLaren, I wouldn't look for a change in their policy.

[Mr V]

a friend of mine works for DHL and drives about in a knackard out ford transit van.........maybe EJ/DHL should give ford/jaguar a call? if dhl might be able to use their influence on merc then why not ford?

[mac]

Wasn't Max Mosley considering a plan to make manufacturers supply more than one team?

[f1manoz]

I remember that plan by Max, but the manufacturers certainly wouldn't like to be forced to supply more than one team they are supplying now.

But for sure if things don't improve Eddie will be looking somewhere else for an engine supply.

[calais]

i doubt merc would want to supply a losing tema like jordan.
and i dont think DHL have much pull in that respect either.
ron chooses his sponsors carefully, unlike EJ who courts them like a desperado, hence the fact DHL is not on the mclaren
{they actually approached williams in 99, but willians knocked them back}

[Glen]

Considering Jordan's current financial woes I'd imagine that he'd look very carefully at the example of Prost before leaping in and going for a pure customer engine (as opposed to having an engine partner). If he was having the season that he is now having, and paying £30m for engines, I think they would be on their way out. besides, Jordan have got a load of stuff to sort out before they worry about engines - their basic reliabilty is none too hot.

[Mr V]

Originally posted by calais
i doubt merc would want to supply a losing tema like jordan.

i think that merc would like the challange of helping to make jordan a front running team, just as they helped mclaren back to the front of the grid, however, i don't think ron would like the idea somehow, weren't prost trying for merc engines and ron veto'd the idea shortly before he went bust?

[calais]

athe moment the honda seems like a better long term bet than the merc, so eddie better stay where he is

[Mr V]

in theroey your right calais, but i have an awful feeling that eddie's not going to have an option when it comes to the honda engine, i feel that they will want to concentrate their efforts with 1 team and maybe JORDAN will not be that team!

[calais]

wasnt eddie supposed to be in talks with GM, audi, VW, seat, skoda, mack trucks, proton, hyandai, detroit deisel,isuzu,........etc, and anybody else that builds engines and isnt currently in F1!!!!!!!!!!!

[Stephen Green]

I think that goes for all teams that don't have a long term engine supplier. They always look at the alternatives, that's good business sence!

[Super Tourer]

If Merc want to beat Ferrari, why not copy them?

Ferrari effectively finished 1st and 4th in the constructors champ last year. Supplying Sauber didn't seem to hinder them. Surely a 'strong' customer team is an advantage, as the more car's you can put between you and the opposition the better.

I guess this was Ford's thinking (plus the matter of £10m or whatever for the engines!), but sadly by picking the Orange Muppet Show as their 'partner', they are just keeping each other company at the back of the grid.

If say, Merc supplied Jordan with year old kit, it could be a good back up in their attempts to keep Honda/Renault/Toyota/BMW behind them.

If a 'works' team is worried about being shown up by a customer team with a year old engine - they're not doing something right.

Isn't there something in the FIA's proposed new engine rules regarding supplying 2nd team's?

[Mr V]

Originally posted by Super Tourer


If say, Merc supplied Jordan with year old kit,

if merc supplied jordan with last years engine/gearbox and jordan got their chassis sorted i think it's fair to say that they would give this years mclaren/merc a run for it's money!

[calais]

i think it is stipulated in the engine supply contract with mclaren that merc do not supply a second team without mclaren's approval

[Super Tourer]

Ron D being the cheerful chappie that he is - we can take that as a no.

BTW - have you noticed he's taken to wearing a plain white collarless shirt as opposed to team gear. Looks like Chairman Maou !

[calais]

i've noticed boss haug wears the white shirt as well.
wonder why?????

[neilap]

http://www.itv-f1.com/news/news_story/10258 suggests that honda will be putting their efforts into BAR. They also say since Honda will be leaving CART more will be pumped into the F1 effort.

Honda boss Takeo Fukui admitted the company may be forced to reconsider its decision to supply two teams if results do not pick up soon.

He explained: "With our CART operation stopping there is going to be a huge flow of experience and knowledge from there to F1.

"The entire Honda effort will be concentrated on F1. That is our strategy."