Jordan driver Takuma Sato gave Eddie Jordan a vital multi-million pound boost by ending his rookie season by scoring his first points in front of his delirious countrymen in the Japanese Grand Prix. The 25-year-old finished fifth at Suzuka though the way he and the crowd celebrated it was as if he had won the race.
The two points ensured Jordan finished sixth in the Constructors' Championship instead of eighth, which will earn the team several million pounds in prize money under the secret Concorde Agreement which governs the sport. Getting sixth makes a big difference, said Jordan, one of the few team bosses left trying to survive without the backing of a major manufacturer, after seeing his outfit move ahead of Jaguar and British American Racing.
"It wasn't a great season, but it was a great ending and is worth a few million at least. This gives us respectability. Eighth is not somewhere where Jordan would like to be. We were sixth before and were fifth last year. It's been a tough battle in the midfield this season," said Jordan.
Jordan admitted it was a nerve-wracking finale as Sato suffered a problem with his Honda engine. "It was pretty nervous in the last few laps. We told him to slow down but you hate taking somebody out of a rhythm. I have to admit I didn't expect Takuma to come here and qualify seventh and finish fifth. He drove a perfect race and showed the talent I've been telling everyone about. The crowd went wild for him," added the Irishman.
Filed by James Shortt
