Yup.... Frentzen really had a great shot at the WDC in 1999, only for that failure in the Nurburgring.
Well.... Jordan memories...
Being an Irish man, Jordan were probably my favourite team. I never had a clear favourite, I loved watching all the teams and drivers battling back in the day. Whoever won or lost didn't matter to me. It was pure gladiator stuff back then, when anything could happen.
But Jordan, seeing the Ferraris chasing Hill up past Eau Rouge etc, to this day still makes the hair on my arms stand up, and a nostalgic tear to my eye. I remember friends berating me cheering on Hakkinen in the final race in 99... "An Irish man could have been F1 champion, and you don't cheer for him??" - To which I responded, that Irvine didn't deserve the title. To me, Frentzen was the deserving 1999 champion for what he did in that car.
Of course the sacking of Frentzen was a bit of a tarnish to the Jordan history, but there were a lot of other things. I think the pressure of F1 got to Eddie, the money, etc, and he just went through pay drivers like one night stands. Although I do believe they didn't deserve the hate that came within days at Hockenheim. There's a lot to the Frentzen story that people don't remember or recall. Frentzen too was agitated by how the car was performing, so two bulls in a china shop and all that.
It was great seeing Alesi finish out his career in Jordan, and heartbreaking seeing him being taken out of his last race by Kimi collecting him on the Michelin curve before Degner 1. If I recall correctly, Alesi had finished every race that season! (Alesi's debut in the Jordan was also a highlight!)
Hill in the Jordan, it was sad to see him waning, while Frentzen was kicking ass. But anyone could see, Hill's heart just wasn't in it, especially with al the media asking him about retirement every day of the week!. Ask somebody something enough times, slowly but surely they will start to believe it.
Fisichella was great to watch, and so was Rubens. Magnificent at times!. That French GP (can't recall what year at the mo) was spectacular.
Jordan kicked ass with the Honda Mugen, which must have been an embarrassment to Honda. I still fully feel that Honda chose the wrong option going with BAR (I was a Villeneuve fan), but I guess the Jordan atmosphere wasn't a match for the Japanese way of doing things. Plus, it's nice to look back on that a customer team with a Mugen tuned engine, was able to do so much, and on a lot of occasions, embarrass the giants of the sport.
Eddie always was a thorn in the sides of the team principals, money this, money that etc., so I am sure a few were happy with the Jordan GP demise. One thing was for certain, he was great TV!. I do miss Jordan Grand Prix every year, so much so that I secretly wish Eddie would consider going back.
A lot of Jordan's successes was down to Gary Anderson and the team, so it would be a shame to forget them. Eddie and Gary, and the past members of the team, as an Irish man, thanks for giving us these memories that have lasted, and will persist. It was an emotional joyride, one that I'd love to experience again!. Sundays just haven't felt right since!
To be honest, I think someone needs to put into production a DVD of the history of Jordan Grand Prix! Two friends of mine, were Jordan guests at the 1993 Belgian Grand Prix. One of them ran a bar, and right inside the front door, was a huge framed pic of the two boys, standing on top of Eau Rouge, and another pic in the garage with Eddie, and a pair of Rubens signed gloves underneath! I was always so jealous every time I walked into the bar and saw it
It was the closest thing to a motorsports bar I've ever been a local of.
The Irish national interest in F1 took a nosedive when Jordan left. Such a shame for such a great sport.
Oh... and Pedro in the Jordan! Was fantastic. I remember being in a bar watching Barcelona I think, and they cut to a quick clip of Pedro in the garage in Jordan attire, and a buddy of mine went.. "Was that just Hill in the garage???" --- we replayed the footage, and goddamn that shot of Pedro, looking exactly like Damon 
The Jordan grid girls too were always a highlight!! Something I bet Ralf Schumacher and a certain namesake female would wish to forget 
Edited by kamikaze1, 29 December 2015 - 19:09.