Testing time for Eddie’s EJ13

After a winter of turmoil, not only has the future of Formula One racing been secured, but the future of smaller teams has also been considerably safeguarded. As yet, however, Jordan has no title sponsor and the second driver’s seat is still vacant. Declan Colley reports

THE CAR is carbon black and the only logo on it is the "Jordan" insignia on the nose. It broke cover at Silverstone last Tuesday and already Giancarlo Fisichella is saying he cannot wait to drive it in anger at its first official test in Barcelona next Monday.

The Silverstone outing was, in F1 parlance, a "shakedown" for the EJ13 and aimed simply at ensuring all the car's vital electronic and mechanical systems were operational prior to its first serious on-track work at the Circuit de Catalunya next week. But the absence of any sponsorship logos of any description and the fact that Fisichella alone will carry out the initial testing work indicates some of the current difficulties facing Eddie Jordan and his pared-down team as they face into the 2003 season.