By Phil Giles
August 20 2002

Jordan will be running with a Ford Cosworth engine for 2003. In a deal signed late on Saturday and announced by both Jordan and Honda on Sunday morning (much to the surprise of Niki Lauda) Honda and Jordan are to part ways and Ford are to supply the team with power. It appears that Eddie didn't stop on Sunday and it must have been a wonder that he got to see Giancarlo score a further point for the team. 

Was he worried about no engine in 2003?
"There was never a question of Jordan not getting a manufacturer,  it was either Honda or it was Ford. It was never Mugen and it was never directly a Cosworth deal. I mean, we would have stayed where we were - that is not the situation."

"What you see racing next year will be a Jordan-Ford. On that car will be blue ovals and the name of the engine is a Ford Cosworth RS, which is in line with Ford's new range of cars coming out. It will be a new, evolved engine with its own dedicated technical people inside Cosworth, exclusive to Jordan. The engine type will be the RS1. In terms of the Cosworth contract, it is a partnership. It's not signed with Jordan, it is signed Jordan with Ford.

Is the engine going to be the same spec as Jaguars in 2003?
"To be quite honest, and I'm not being evasive here, it could be similar, it could be different. That really is up to the people at Cosworth and Gary Anderson, when they get together."

The financial aspects?
"It is a partnership structure and I will be able to outline that in the future, but if you are talking about paying over the counter, it's not that kind of business."

How do you feel about the deal?
"I can't tell you how relieved I am. It's taken a long time. Until you see the senior people's signatures on contracts, you're naturally a bit apprehensive. The engine is fantastically light, we have our own dedicated people for developments, we know what Cosworth can do and that has made us very excited. It's how we started. In 1991 we were with Cosworth and my dream was to be Jordan-Ford. We are now Jordan-Ford."

Sato?
"Takuma is a Jordan driver, he has a Jordan contract. Of course when the dust settles a bit we will discuss that because he is also a part of the Honda dream."

"If Honda want to do something directly, and they come to us like we came to them with regard to the release on the engine, we will talk to them. But I have no plans at the moment to replace Sato. I think he is a really quick driver."