MAY 13, 1996

Jordan goes for gold

HAVING raced so far this year in mustard yellow colored cars the Jordan team has taken the opportunity since the SanÊMarinoÊGrandÊPrix to undergo a complete facelift, with the cars and all the team equipment being repainted in metallic gold - the colors of sponsor Benson & Hedges.

The original decision to paint the cars in mustard yellow came about because negotiations dragged on until only a few days before the first race in Australia in March, and the color scheme was decided in something of a hurry.

"The new metallic gold livery better reflects the Benson & Hedges corporate image," says team boss Eddie Jordan.

Repainting an entire F1 team is no easy business - involving not just the cars but also pit equipment, transporters and motor homes. The cars did not arrive back in England from Imola until Tuesday afternoon but everything was repainted by Saturday when the transporters set off to Monaco.

The Jordan test team has also been flat out, finishing the Imola test on Thursday and then being back in action at Pau Arnos, in the south-west of France, on Sunday and Monday. Pau Arnos is a tiny and twisty permanent circuit outside the city of Pau, close to the Franco-Spanish border.