
Why Aston Martin plans to keep an unsung Jordan F1 legend's memory alive
The old Jordan Formula 1 factory has just been demolished to make way for the final phase of the new Aston Martin campus. But the building that will replace it will serve, remembers MAURICE HAMILTON, as a reminder of success in battles against the odds
You’ve probably never heard of Bosco Quinn. There’s no reason why you should. Richard ‘Bosco’ Quinn liked to keep a low profile – which wasn’t particularly difficult when working with the garrulous Eddie Jordan. The two had met in the early Eighties when the telephone engineer from Dublin helped – perhaps it’s more accurate to say ‘found himself persuaded to assist’ – Jordan in his early attempts to become a racing driver.
It says much about their growing relationship – not to mention the way things worked back in the day – that Quinn, despite having no training as a mechanic, was despatched to the Ralt factory in Weybridge to build an RT3 in readiness for EJ’s 1981 F3 campaign. By this stage, Jordan had wisely decided his talent lay with managing drivers rather than being one. A hand-to-mouth existence would see Eddie Jordan Racing (EJR) foraging through the paddock waste bin for a rival’s discarded gear ratios rather than having to fork out for a new set. While EJ did the talking, Bosco kept the cars and the meagre finances together. Not to mention ensuring the boss didn’t veer too far from the straight and narrow.
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