OCTOBER 13, 2001

Vale leaving Jordan

JORDAN team manager Jim Vale is to leave the team at the end of the year. The 51-year-old has decided to quit Formula 1 and return to his native Australia where he will take up a job with Gibson Motorsport in the Australian Touring Car Championship. Vale, who has been involved in European racing since the late 1970s when he started with the Toleman Formula 2 team, will be replaced by another Australian Tim Edwards. Vale has been with Jordan Grand Prix since the very beginning. He became chief mechanic in 1995 and team manager two years later.

Jordan has lost a number of staff in recent weeks with the departure of engineers Bob Bell, Chris Cooney and composite expert Peter Heard. The team has however hired Bridgestone engineer Mark Hutchinson to work as a race engineer next season.