Jordan: Willams' Cosworth Deal a Mistake
Former team boss Eddie Jordan has said he remains baffled by Williams' decision to switch to Cosworth engines next year in the wake of the collapse of their partnership with BMW
Jordan believes that Williams have done the wrong thing in deciding to go down the customer-engine route next year - and claims they should have done everything they could to keep BMW on board.
Speaking in his column in the October edition of F1 Racing, Jordan said he knows from his experience with Cosworth engines in 2003 and 2004 how difficult life is for the Northampton-based engine maker in going up against major manufacturers.
"I don't understand BMW and I certainly don't understand Frank," said Jordan. "Cosworth's last race win in about 10 years must have been with Jordan in Brazil with Fisi (Giancarlo Fisichella) in 2003.
"Bear in mind that the new Cosworth people, good as they are, can only build an engine with the cash that Williams pay them, which won't match a manufacturer's financial muscle. No doubt Cosworth will build a brilliant V8 as it's their forte but, sadly, bigger budgets will dominate.
"The rule is: the more you spend, the quicker you go. Cash is king and engine costs are huge, which restricts the quality of drivers, staff - virtually everything."
Jordan believes that Williams' owners Frank Williams and Patrick Head would have been better off opting to sell shares in their team to BMW.
"The logical move would have been for Frank and Patrick to sell part of their equity and embrace BMW as a shareholder and sporting partner, instead of allowing Sauber to sneak in and steal BMW from under their noses," added Jordan.
"In the current climate, I'd rather be a 50 percent of something that's winning than 100 percent of something that cannot win."
Yamamoto Struggling with F1 Demands
Pizzonia Ends Silverstone Test on Top
The “solemn promise” that cost quiet hero Brooks an F1 title
After two terrifying crashes, one of the best British racers of the 1950s retired before his career peaked. But that’s why GP Racing’s MAURICE HAMILTON was able to speak to Tony Brooks in 2014. Like his friend Stirling Moss, Brooks was regarded as one of the best drivers never to have won the world championship. Here, as our tribute to Brooks who died last month, is that interview in full
Inside the Faenza facility where AlphaTauri’s F1 pragmatic vision is realised
AlphaTauri’s mission in F1 is to sell clothes and train young drivers rather than win the championship – but you still need a cutting-edge factory to do that. Team boss Franz Tost takes GP Racing’s OLEG KARPOV on a guided tour of a facility that’s continuing to grow
Connecting two of Ferrari's favourite F1 sons
Gilles Villeneuve's exploits behind the wheel of a Ferrari made him a legend to the tifosi, even 40 years after his death. The team's current Formula 1 star Charles Leclerc enjoys a similar status, and recently got behind the wheel of a very special car from the French-Canadian’s career
How a 30cm metal wire triggered open warfare in the F1 paddock
Porpoising has become the key talking point during the 2022 Formula 1 season, as teams battle to come to terms with it. An FIA technical directive ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix and a second stay appearing on the Mercedes cars only served to create a bigger debate and raise tensions further
Does Verstappen have any weaknesses left?
Having extended his Formula 1 points lead with victory in Canada, Max Verstappen has raised his game further following his 2021 title triumph. Even on the days where Red Bull appears to be second best to Ferrari, Verstappen is getting the most out of the car in each race. So, does he have any weaknesses that his title rivals can exploit?
How F1's future fuels can shape the automotive sector
In 2026, Formula 1 plans to make the switch to a fully sustainable fuel, as the greater automotive world considers its own alternative propulsion methods. Biogasoline and e-fuels both have merit as 'drop-in' fuels but, equally, both have their shortcomings...
The breakthrough behind Sainz’s best weekend of F1 2022 so far
OPINION: Carlos Sainz came close to winning in Monaco but needed that race’s specific circumstances for his shot at a maiden Formula 1 victory to appear. Last weekend in Canada, he led the line for Ferrari in Charles Leclerc’s absence from the front. And there’s a key reason why Sainz has turned his 2022 form around
Canadian Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2022
Plenty of high scores but just a single perfect 10 from the first Montreal race in three years, as Max Verstappen fended off late pressure from Carlos Sainz. Here’s Autosport’s assessment on the Formula 1 drivers from the Canadian Grand Prix