AUGUST 9, 2003

Jordan wooing Mercedes

Eddie Jordan has never been very subtle in his approach to Formula 1 and so it is no surprise that he has suddenly started talking about a desire to run Nick Heidfeld next year. Heidfeld is a Mercedes-Benz driver but in recent years has been loaned out to Sauber. His Sauber contract ends this year but his Mercedes-Benz deal has one more year to run and so Mercedes-Benz needs to find somewhere to place him. Jordan wants a Mercedes-Benz engine deal next year and so telling the world that Heidfeld is welcome at Jordan is a clear message to Mercedes-Benz that Jordan will take the German driver if there is a suitable financial arrangement - or in other words "Give me a cheap engine!"

The only thing wrong with this logic is that Jordan has a contract with the Ford Motor Company for the next two years and Ford says it has no desire to renegotiate. This situation is causing some considerable friction at the moment although one would think that Jordan will be a little more careful in the future when challenging big companies after the humiliating and embarrassing judgement last week in his case with Vodafone.