Jordan: Title is a 'long shot'

Team boss Eddie Jordan has admitted that Heinz-Harald Frentzen's chances of winning this year's Formula One drivers' championship are slim.

'Winning the Championship is a long shot and we are under no illusions that for us to win McLaren and Ferrari would have to lose.

'Had we said at the start of the season, however, that we would be fighting for the title, we would have been laughed at, so just to be where we are is fantastic.

'We are the dark horse on the rails!'

Frentzen currently lies third in the championship, just 10 points behind joint leaders Eddie Irvine and Mika Hakkinen.

The German has won two races this season, and finished no lower than fourth in all of this season's races - except Canada, where he fractured his knees after suffering mechanical failure.

The 32-year-old goes to the Nurburgring this weekend for the European Grand Prix.

'Ferrari and McLaren should be strong at this track but we want to be right behind them,' he said.

'If they make a mistake, we will be ready to take up the challenge and pass them.'

The team is looking to cement third place in the constructors' championship.

The marque is now 27 points ahead of nearest rival Williams with 57 points.