Jordan
A number of top drivers got their big break with Eddie Jordan's team, including Barrichello, Irvine, and both Schumacher brothers. Jordan entered F1 in 1991, a decade after the enterprising, charismatic Irishman established his outfit. It was a respectable debut, Andrea de Cesaris and Bertrand Gachot both getting in the points in Montreal, in what was only the fifth outing for Gary Anderson's impressive Jordan 191. When Gachot was jailed following an altercation with a taxi driver, Jordan fielded a new young tyro at Spa, Michael Schumacher. The future champion retired after outqualifying de Cesaris, and was soon being wooed by Benetton, much to the annoyance of the Jordan boss.
Yamaha power proved underwhelming in 1992, and a Hart V-10 unit was secured for the following season, as was Rubens Barrichello. With better luck the Brazilian might have garnered more than the 2 points for fifth at Suzuka. Just behind him that day was Eddie Irvine, who marked his F1 debut by trading blows with Senna as well as scoring a point.
"Barrichello puts Jordan on podium"
Only drivers from the big four — Benetton, Williams, McLaren and Ferrari — finished ahead of Barrichello in '94, his 19-point haul including third place at the Pacific GP, Jordan's first podium finish. He also gave the team its first pole, at Spa, where he had a spell in front before spinning off. Irvine might have been up with his team-mate had he not been hit with a three-race ban for his part in a pile-up at the season's curtain-raiser at Interlagos.
Peugeot provided the power for the next three years, but it was when Jordan switched to a Mugen-Honda unit in 1998 that the team registered its first victory. Damon Hill won an accident-littered race at Spa, with team-mate Ralf Schumacher making it a famous one-two. It would be Hill's 22nd and final victory, while Jordan's first had come at the 259th attempt.
"Frentzen takes third in title race"
Things got even better in 1999 as Heinz-Harald Frentzen arrived from Williams, with Schumacher going in the opposite direction. Frentzen won at Magny-Cours and Monza and finished third in the championship, behind Hakkinen and Irvine. Only McLaren and Ferrari headed Jordan in the Constructors' race.
1999 was to be Jordan's high watermark. The team's only other victory came in the 2003 Brazilian GP, where in the confusion of a red-flagged-race Fisichella was awarded second place to Raikkonen. A subsequent FIA inquiry reversed that decision, and the Finn did the presentation honours at the next race. It was Fisichella's maiden success. Early in 2005 it was announced that the team was being taken over by the Midland Group. It continued to run as Jordan for the duration of that season, but a colourful 15-year chapter was brought to an end as MF1 Racing took its place on the grid at the start of the 2006 series.
