Jarno Trulli: 'One of the worst seasons of my career'

4th (Brazil)2nd (Monaco and Spa)
Those front row starting spots.
The gearbox breaking in Monaco, the shove from Jenson Button in Belgium, and many others (see below)
Works Honda power will give Jordan a leg-up, although the
apparent lack of technical leadership will hurt. Nevertheless, Jarno has
the chance to seriously rattle his team mate.

Jarno Trulli arrived at Jordan with high hopes, not least because incumbent Heinz-Harald Frentzen had just won two races and the team had finished third in the 1999 constructors' championship. Yet he finished the 2000 season with just six points to his name, having scored a fourth (actually fifth on the road) and three sixth places, and nothing at all after France in July. That in no way reflected his potential. Twice he qualified second in a year when the top four places were all but reserved for the Ferraris and McLarens - and he did it at Monaco and Spa, two circuits where the contribution of the man behind the wheel is perhaps a little greater than elsewhere. The fact that he failed to finish both races was a reflection of the appalling luck he suffered throughout the year. Jordan's reliability record was poor, and Jarno had the misfortune to get involved in a series of early race incidents that proved very costly. A thoughtful guy who wears his heart on the sleeve of his racing overalls, Jarno found it hard (and perhaps unnecessary) to hide his true feelings. His frustration may have been a little public at times, but that's just the way the man is, and letting it out in no way affected his performance in the car. He still has time on his side and could yet be one of the big players over the next four or five years. Adam Cooper spoke to the Italian about his Jordan baptism.



"Too many downs! I'm very disappointed about my season - or let's say in general Jordan's season. We expected much, much more. We had a very unreliable car. We were not competitive every time; sometimes we were strong and every time we were strong I was near the top. But many other times we were too slow, plus we must admit we were unlucky, I think. I was the most unlucky driver. Everything happened to my car. Every race something happened, either in qualifying or the race. I never had a clear weekend where let's say I could have done a good job. Always troubles. This made me feel really bad, especially after the US GP. If I judge my season on the performance side as a driver, I think good, but on the results side, really, really bad. Generally it was one of the worst seasons I had in my racing career."



"You're right. I think I was very close to that in Monaco, because without the retirement with a gearbox problem maybe I could have won the race, with Schumacher out. But I didn't, because I had a broken gearbox. But anyway the general feeling was that we never had the chance. We were never as close as the year before. So I cannot say I missed very good opportunities for winning races. I can only say I missed very good opportunities to make many podium finishes."



"I don't think they are the only ones. I did a very good job many times, but sometimes you cannot see it clearly, because the car didn't perform very well. But obviously the two top performances were in Monaco and Spa."



"Oh yeah, for sure. But at the end of the day what really counts are race results. I never had a chance to finish those races; I always had a problem with someone, or with mechanical troubles. I was very frustrated, but now I'm not thinking any more about the 2000 season, I'm looking ahead to 2001. For me it's been like, how you say, an odyssey. Unbelievable, never finishing."



"Every race I finished, I finished in the points, except three or four. In Budapest I started 14th or 15th because I had a problem with the front wing in qualifying, and I finished seventh. In Germany I had a stop and go, in Spain I had an electronic problem at the pit stop. The other one was Suzuka, where I had a problem in qualifying, and again in the race. So I finished four races out of the points because of problems. All the others I finished in the points. So generally the performances in the race were really good, but when something happens, you can never sort it out in the race, especially when you have to compete with four McLarens and Ferraris, which are gone, so you are fighting for fifth and sixth. After the first four guys, it's very tough."



"Yes, without any reason. I had three retirements in a row which were... I cannot use the right word, but they were really frustrating, and I was really disappointed. One was in Belgium with Jenson. I accepted it, because he is young, so he has to understand. I didn't argue at all, although I did talk to him to clear up the situation. I told him it was better not to do it, especially at the beginning of the race. It was a bit too premature. The second was in Monza, when I was involved without reason, and the third one was a collision also with Jenson at Indianapolis, I think on the second lap. I think it was a bit too early again! I must say I was very frustrated. After that I was in a very bad mood..."




"Nothing special. I did my job, I make up a good atmosphere around me and my engineers, I work very well with the whole team, and I did a good job in qualifying and races, and even in testing. Generally I didn't find any problems, even if he was established. Many people were saying that through the season I was going to step from number two driver to number one. That never happened because I never felt I was number two driver. I was another driver, one of the two drivers of the team. We all did a good job, I worked very well with Heinz, so it worked out pretty well for the first season."



"I don't remember - but several times I was behind him because I had a mechanical problem in qualifying!"



"The first four races, I lost completely. In Australia I did only one lap because the car broke down, I made a mistake in Brazil, then in Imola I was 0.1s slower which was OK, and then in Silverstone I was blocked by traffic. Generally I lost the first four races. From then I was always very competitive. Generally I'm really, really happy about my performance compared to Heinz, and I think I can improve this year."



"In terms of results the team is number six at the moment, because we had a lot of problems. Sure we have to get better this year, but it's going to be difficult. McLaren and Ferrari, forget it. We have to try to beat Williams, who are getting stronger and stronger. I'm sure the BMW engine will get better. We'll get a better engine, but we need to work very hard on the chassis. The team has a lot to improve to really be in third place in the constructors' championship."



"We hope that the official Honda engine is better. We'll have more power, but I also think this might be something which can make the team make sure that everything is done, because they have an official engine, and we're going to be competitive. I think this is the wrong way to think about it. I believe the engine will be a step forward, but it won't be enough to catch the top teams. We really need to work very hard."



"For sure the loss of Mike Gascoyne was quite a big loss, not only because during the season we didn't have any development, but even because it took us, let's say, a little bit out of order, because we didn't expect to lose him. As you know every chief engineer was signed, so it was difficult to get a new one."



"No, I don't think it's a risk. It's the safest way. First of all I must say that I believe in the Bridgestone guys. Second we must admit that Bridgestone has got more experience than Michelin in F1 at the moment. So for one year Bridgestone will be generally more competitive than Michelin. For sure Michelin, as happened in '97 when Bridgestone came, will be very competitive on some tracks, but not really on others. That's normal. I think for Jordan it's the safest way."



"I don't really work with him, I work for him! I think he has done a very good job. He has done some good deals, like the one with Honda. Hopefully he's done this one with Hamidy, which will probably be good for the future. I think he's a good person. With me he has been good, and with the team really good. He's someone who you really like, because he's always in a good mood, always gives you lots of support, is always positive. It's very good to work with him."



"It's still running. I will be here for one more season, 2001, and then I will decide. I have good contacts with Benetton, which will become Renault."



"We'll see. If we are both happy to work together, I think there is a good chance to work together very soon."



"Very, very difficult, especially when you know that you can do it. But unfortunately it seems that wherever I go, I go always at the wrong moment! Like at Prost, then last year at Jordan."



"Looking back at what the Jordan car was in 1999, I was really hoping to get good results, finish many races, which didn't happen, score many points, try to get podiums, and occasionally maybe get a chance to win a race. But it was completely the opposite. So I must say it has been very frustrating for me. If I look back on my career I have the feeling that I can win races, but I need a good car. I'm confident that one day I will get it. I just have to carry on, not giving up, get stronger and stronger, and the day that will be my day I must be there, ready to get it."



"I'm really happy that Ferrari won the championship. It's really good for us, as Italians, because we can show everyone that we can make good cars, we can have a good team. I believe Michael won because he probably had the best cars. The results and numbers show that."