Give Todt a Break, Says Jordan

Eddie Jordan made an impassioned plea on Thursday for Ferrari team boss Jean Todt to be praised and not pilloried for his actions at the controversial Austrian Grand Prix.

Todt has been heavily criticised in the media since Brazilian Rubens Barrichello was ordered by the team to slow and allow Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher to win at Spielberg.

"Great Barrichello, Tiny Todt," declared Italian sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport in a front page headline the morning after the May 12 race.

But Jordan said the blunt and often prickly Frenchman, whose team have dominated the season with five wins in six races including two one-two finishes, deserved better treatment.

"Give this guy a break, he's done a brilliant job. You're killing him," he told a news conference at the Monaco Grand Prix with Todt sitting alongside him. "Only once were we lucky to be in a situation where Jordan could finish one and two and I would die to have this kind of problem that he had," he said.

"You people are making me laugh because you are killing this guy. And you are killing him because he is doing such a good job. We are all deadly jealous, believe me, and me particularly. Once I had the chance. Did I make it a management decision? Yes I did."

Team Orders

Jordan finished first and second with Briton Damon Hill and Germany's Ralf Schumacher at the 1998 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa. Schumacher, Michael's younger brother, was closing on Hill but Jordan ordered him to back off and hold position to ensure the Briton won.

Ralf left Jordan for Williams three races later and had to wait until last season for his first win. He has frequently expressed his bitterness at being deprived a victory by the Irish team boss.

"Ralf will tell you that he wasn't happy," said Jordan. "But I had to make sure that Damon and Ralf finished in the way they were racing because I didn't need a fight and I had told them with two laps to go that I needed them to finish like that.

"That was the only chance I had to finish in a one-two. Believe me, I can't wait for it to happen again. I will do whatever I need to do to make sure that in the interests of the team I get the best result for the team."

Todt defended his actions in invoking 'team orders' by saying that every point could prove crucial, particularly during a season in which tyres are proving to be critical. Ferrari are on Bridgestone but their main rivals Williams and McLaren are on the French Michelin brand.

"We don't feel that after six races in the Championship our advantage is so big," he said.

Todt pointed out that Schumacher, who now has a 27 point lead in the Championship, had been some 24 points clear in 2000 and then lost it all to McLaren's Mika Hakkinen in the space of three races.

"It's a long way to go and we know this business so well and that until you have it, you don't have it," he said.