Luxembourg GP Jordan race notes

Nurburgring, Luxembourg, 27th September 1998 Circuit Length 4.54/2.82 Total 305.252 Kms

Brake disc bell failure

A brake disc bell failure on Ralf Schumacher's car dashed the Benson and Hedges Jordan team's chances of taking fourth position in the Constructors' Championship today at the Nurburgring. An excellent race strategy by the team had enabled Ralf to overtake Frentzen and both Benettons in the pits but, with fourteen laps to go, a fifth place finish for Ralf and a further two points to take B& H Jordan ahead of Benetton were lost when the German driver was forced to retire.

Damon Hill made up one place from his starting position to finish in 9th place.

Benson and Hedges Jordan Mugen-Honda's fight for third place will continue in Suzuka on 1st November. The team currently lies in fifth place with 31 points, two points behind Benetton and four points behind Williams.

RALF SCHUMACHER CHASSIS 04 DNF -- Brake disc failure (front left) "This was very disappointing as I had the chance to win two more points for our fight in the Constructors' Championship. My start was not perfect but we managed to make up several places thanks to an excellent pit stop strategy. We did a really great job and it is a real shame we had a brake disc bell failure. The brakes were quite soft for a while, and I tried to save them for the last dozen or so laps but I was not able to. These failures happen in motor racing -- it's the way it goes sometimes."

DAMON HILL CHASSIS 03 Finished 9th "The weekend started badly for me here and I suffered as a consequence. I never really got a balance I was happy with. Although I was not on top form in qualifying, in today's race I gave it everything I had, but it was not possible to make up enough places to finish in the points."

EDDIE JORDAN, TEAM OWNER "A very frustrating day! It is disappointing to have fourth place so tantalisingly close and to see it go, especially when Ralf and the team had done such an outstanding job to beat the competition. Considering we have had five consecutive races without any failures, I suppose the law of averages said we were due one here. But our fight is not over yet. We have five weeks ahead of us to put together the best possible package for Suzuka."

Damon Hill will test for the Benson and Hedges Jordan team in Barcelona on 30th September and 1st October.