Jordan's Luck Could Rub Off on Heidfeld

Eddie Jordan says Nick Heidfeld can emulate Italian Giancarlo Fisichella and become a lucky winner with his Formula One team.

The Irish team boss conceded on Wednesday that Germany's Heidfeld, discarded by Sauber and rescued by Jordan with a contract last month, was not going to win the championship for him.

However, he saw no reason why the luck that has seen his team triumph in the past against far better-funded rivals could not rub off on him as well.

"I was impressed with what Nick did in Formula Three, much more so than what he did in Formula 3000," said Jordan of the 26-year-old former F3000 champion.

"He's been involved with Mercedes, he's been involved with McLaren, he's been at Sauber for a very long time and has tested a lot of good cars.

"I want to give Nick the chance to win his first ever Grand Prix in a Jordan. That's my clear target with him and I hope it can happen this year. What happens after this year we'll have to make further enquiries about.

"I think he's fast, he's committed and very focused."

Fisichella, who races for Sauber this season, won last year's chaotic and rain-swept Brazilian Grand Prix for Jordan for his first success in 110 starts. The Italian was declared winner only several days after the event when a timing error was revealed in a race that was stopped early after a big crash.

Same Goal

"It was lucky but we were there and Giancarlo did an amazing job," said Jordan. "But we did qualify eighth for the race so we weren't completely useless. I don't care how lucky we get as long as we win.

"Why shouldn't we do it again? We are lucky. We won races."

Heidfeld, whose best career result to date is third place in Brazil with Sauber in 2001, said he hoped for some good performances this year to secure his Formula One future after narrowly being left out in the cold.

Jordan's most successful driver, Germany's Heinz-Harald Frentzen, came from the same town - Moenchengladbach - as Heidfeld and the team restored his reputation after it had dulled at Williams.

"I thought that I would still be in Formula One, that I would get a chance somewhere, although it was a difficult couple of weeks and months," said Heidfeld of his winter of uncertainty. "It was quite tough.

"It is not going to be easy to make a huge step in one go but we can start moving forward and score some points and keep a few teams behind us. My goal is the same as when I came into Formula One, to fight for the World Championship and be champion one day.

"I'm not in Formula One just to be in Formula One."