Monoco GP: Jordan preview

DHL Jordan Honda goes to Monte Carlo hoping to build on the two championship points Giancarlo Fisichella scored in Austria and further develop the potential of the EJ12. Takuma Sato had an extraordinary escape from his dramatic accident during Austria's race, sustaining no injuries other than minor bruising to his right leg, and will participate in the Monaco Grand Prix and the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique (19th May) as planned.

Gary Anderson, Director of Race and Test Engineering
"Scoring points makes a difference to us, as it does with any team. We really needed to get off the mark somewhere, and it's been extremely difficult. With the strength of Ferrari and Williams, regularly taking the top four points places, the rest of us have to dive together to try and score the last two positions. Giancarlo's result in Austria has given us a lot of encouragement, as now we know that on a good day we can achieve something, and that gives us something to build on.

"Reliability is something to which we are continually devoting effort. Each day that you run the car, there's something new to learn but, encouragingly at this point in time, there are no specific problems that we need to cross our fingers about.

"Giancarlo knows Monaco very well but it will be a whole new experience for Takuma, driving a Formula One car there for the first time. It's promising that he did a good job and exercised control in winning the Formula 3 event last year at Macau, a street circuit with similar constraints to Monaco. Any lost time will be a blow, so if we have any problems or damage to the car, it's more trouble than usual. Qualifying is everything at Monaco, and we can only take three cars, since Takuma's car was damaged beyond repair in Austria. The pressure is to conserve what we have, so the drivers need to respect the barriers and stay clean and tidy with their driving."

Testing update
Giancarlo Fisichella completed 143 laps during DHL Jordan Honda's test at Valencia on 15th and 16th May. The team continued work on the front wing package and tested front suspension configurations and various mechanical set-ups in preparation for the demands of Monaco. Gary Anderson said, "Monaco is a very bumpy track, with a lot of camber change on the road, so you have to run the car high and soft to get a quick lap time." Excepting a gearbox problem which caused the team to stop running early on the 15th, the test programme ran to schedule.

Giancarlo Fisichella
"I consider the Monaco Grand Prix to be a home race. I have some wonderful memories tied to this great circuit, including my Italian Formula 3 Championship victory here in 1994 and also some satisfying performances in Formula One, for example second place in 2000. The circuit is difficult and elaborate, but it is also fun. The atmosphere is always charming, with the people who come here and also the city itself, with its location on the harbour, and all the boats that surround it."

Takuma Sato
"It has already been a few days since the big impact at the A1-ring and the pain has been going gradually from my knee and leg so I am glad to be able to come back and race. I am also really looking forward to the Monaco Historic race. It is such a historic car and city that it will be a very impressive weekend. I greatly appreciate all the sponsors who have given me the opportunity to do it. I have put the Austrian accident behind me now and it will not affect my performance in Monaco at all".

-jordan-