Jordan Supports Formula One Overhaul

Team boss Eddie Jordan has supported the FIA's decision to impose radical changes to Formula One, saying today was the "most positive I can possibly ever remember in my lifetime in Formula One."

Formula One's ruling body FIA unveiled a series of radical technical measures today aimed at improving competition and cutting soaring costs from the 2003 season onwards. These included eliminating all radio communication during races between driver and team and preventing engineers from changing settings electronically while a car is in motion.

From 2004, it is planned that all cars will have a standard braking system and rear wing design and car manufacturers involved in Formula One must ensure that no team is left without an engine. The FIA also plan to get rid of traction control and fully automatic gearboxes by 2004.

Each team will only be allowed two cars from this year, thus sidelining for good the "reserve" car, and FIA also plan to isolate cars between final qualifying and the race so teams cannot work on them except under supervision.

The new measures, which followed the disappearance from the grid over the last year of the Prost and Arrows teams, were warmly welcomed by team owner Eddie Jordan, who told Reuters: "It's a huge day as far as we are concerned.

"Everyone was in agreement, there was a great union, everyone was committed to making sure that it was very clear that 10 teams remained in place and that everyone was going to rally round to help each other. The atmosphere was the best that I have ever known in a team principals meeting.

"Things have been changed, Max (Mosley) has been quite brutal about what he wants to see for '03, '04 and '05 in terms of engines. There is supposedly doom and gloom but today was the most positive I can possibly ever remember in my lifetime in Formula One."

FIA president Max Mosley added: "Once they got over the shock it all went down quite well. Our position is that we are a little bit like (former) Mayor (Rudolph) Giuliani (of New York). We have gone over to zero tolerance. We could have probably been more insistent (last season) so now we decided we would impose them (regulations) to the letter."