From F1-live.com "Toyota indicated at the weekend that they would be willing to supply a second team in Formula One for the 2005 season and now it seems that Jordan are the team that will enjoy the use of the powerful V10 engines. The Guardian reports that the team will run Toyota engines next year and that Ryan Briscoe a long time Toyota Protégé will drive the Jordan Toyota. However, don't discount another Toyota favoured driver such as Ricardo Zonta joining the team. "Things are looking much more optimistic and we are now 99 percent certain that we will be on the grid for the Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne next March," Ian Phillips told the publication. "It has been a nerve-racking past few weeks but we're now looking forward to the future." Jordan has used Ford Cosworth power in recent years after along spell with Mugen and Honda. A move to Toyota is exactly what the team have been looking for as the deal is expected to be relatively inexpensive at 10 million US Dollars, compared to recent contracts with Cosworth. Formula One regulations states that engines must last for two race weekends in 2005. Should an engine fail, then a driver will be placed back ten positions on the grid for that race or the following race. Should the deal be confirmed, Toyota may well have a say on one of the drivers, but given that Ryan Briscoe is no longer involved with the Toyota F1 team, Ricardo Zonta seems the man more likely to race with Jordan. Earl ALEXANDER" ----------------------- I think this will be great for Jordan. Considering Toyota has one of the more powerful engines in F1. This should push Jordan up the grid?
I don't know. Everyone says Toyota has one of the most powerful engines on the grid, but the trap speeds often seem marginal. They certainly don't seem to be even with BMW, Honda, & Ferrari. Do they just crank up the downforce at every track? Still, an infinite improvement over the underpowered unreliabile Cosworth.
I think this is a great move for Jordan and especially Toyota. They will learn heaps (Toyota that is) by having another team that has been racing (er, driving around) in F1 for longer than they have. They also will get a surprise when the Jordans (as useless as they are) completely embarrass the works Toyotas on the race track. Hopefully then the engineers will endeavour to learn and remove their heads from their @rses. This is the right direction for Toyota IMO. Pete
I think as important as engine power is, Jordan will still be hopeless next year. This year's chassis was a pig, you could tell by looking at it in qualifiying, it seemed to not pull smoothly around the corners it tended to step around the corners which leads to believe they not only had problems putting the power down but massive understeer as well. Both drivers seemed to have thier hands full.
Agree, but I think it will help Toyota having their engines run by other teams ... which is what I was trying to say. Pete
Glad to see Jordan finding an engine supplier. They should be more competitive next season with them than with the Ford-Cosworth engine. From my understanding, the issues Toyota F1 team was having this season has more to do with the chassis than with the engine. We will just have to wait and see what happens here. Not trying to hi-jack the tread, I think with JT and RS on the Toyota team, they just may be competitive and even win a race in 2005, as they are drivers that knows and understands how to develop and race a F1 car.
I definitely that it will benefit Toyota to have double the engines running. I just don't think a team like Jordan will be as helpful as some of the others. Honda found that out the hard way. Now, what is your opinion. Does Toyota make Jordan use more experimental engines, the same ones, or those slightly behind the factory team?
Anthony C - good call! I always said that RS will be good for them. I didn't even think about the JT factor. With the bulging wallet they have, they might accomplish a lot next year! IF....they keep the testing rules the same. What the heck is everyone BUT Ferrari proposing? I just think it is crazy for an up and coming team to sign up for limited testing! Do they really think that will throttle (so to speak!) Ferrari's dominance? As Todt said, "EXTORTION!" Jim
If they are smart, they will supply the same ones. I think the Toyo boys need to establish a reference on how they are performing. I'm not just talking about the car, necessarily. I'm talking about design, aero, chassis, electronics, etc., etc.... If shoestring Jordan can come close with the same engine - no likely, but who knows - Toyo will be forced to have a come-to-papa conversation with the group. All that money and maginal results...hmmm... Jim
Yeah, tough call. I seriously doubt that there's any concern at Toyota that Jordan will one-up them given identical engines. That's why I'd almost expect them to supply more developmental parts to Jordan, sort of a test bed team.
