AUGUST 30, 1999

Jordan confirms Trulli

JORDAN GRAND PRIX confirmed at Spa that it has signed Jarno Trulli to be Heinz-Harald Frentzen's team mate in 2000 and the Italian will stay with Jordan for the 2001 season as well. Trulli replaces the retiring Damon Hill. Jarno had been under contract to Prost Grand Prix but the team failed to meet performance clauses in the contract and so he was able to negotiate the deal with Jordan.

Trulli has been racing in F1 since the start of 1997 when he drove for Minardi. He transferred to Prost after Olivier Panis injured his legs in Montreal and made his first big impression when he led the Austrian Grand Prix in dominant fashion. Unfortunately his engine failed. The performance so impressed Alain Prost that he negotiated Trulli's release from Minardi for 1998 and 1999. Alain had wanted to keep Jarno for the 2000 season.

"I'm now absolutely overjoyed to have signed Jarno," said Eddie Jordan. "He is an outstanding talent and one of the most exciting young drivers I have come across. I am certain he will develop into a winning driver with Jordan."

Jordan hopes that with Frentzen and Trulli and new Honda V10 engines he will be able to challenge McLaren and Ferrari for race wins next year.