Jordan are beset by more pre-season pitfalls

THE early season woes continue for Jordan.

Still without a sponsor, still without a second driver, things are not going according to plan on the track either.

Yesterday, Giancarlo Fisichella completed only 13 laps as he continued testing in Barcelona with the Jordan Ford EJ13, in conditions which were damp and cool in the morning but warm and dry in the afternoon.

The team lost time as it was hampered by “mechanical teething problems”, but Fisichella was able to make progress with scheduled work on system checks and engine mapping, producing data for the team to evaluate.

Gary Anderson, director of race and test engineering, said: “We had various problems today, but fortunately we know why they happened and we overcame most of them to get the car running again in the afternoon.

“Giancarlo was able to do three timed laps on dry tyres, and the last runs highlighted a small problem which will be rectified overnight ready for tomorrow. I’m pleased that we were able to collect some data from dry track conditions, giving us something useful to analyse to help us understand the car better.”

Meanwhile, Formula One chiefs will outlaw traction control systems and automatic gearboxes from the British Grand Prix on July 20, the sport’s governing body announced yesterday.

But drivers will still be able to communicate with their teams after the International Automobile Federation (FIA) went back on an earlier plan for the elimination of pit-to-car radio.

“Traction control and automatic gearboxes will no longer be allowed from halfway through the season ,” the FIA said in a statement. The final ruling on traction control fell halfway between the FIA’s desire to ban so-called ‘driver aids’ from the start of the season on March 9 and the opposition of some teams to any change until 2004 at the earliest.

The FIA had announced sweeping changes last week to cut costs and liven up racing after a difficult year that has seen two teams, Prost and Arrows, put out of business. The final ruling on traction control fell halfway between the FIA’s desire to ban so-called ‘driver aids’ from the start of the season on March 9 and the opposition of some teams to any change until 2004 at the earliest.

The FIA had announced sweeping changes last week to cut costs and liven up racing after a difficult year that has seen two teams, Prost and Arrows, put out of business.