Toyota to supply Jordan with engines!

Photo by Huw Alban
By Toyota F1 Media
November 17 2004

The future of Jordan GP was decided today - no not by a group of businessmen from Dubai - but, as widely speculated for a while now - by us! Yes, it's official, Toyota WILL supply Jordan with engines next year!

Toyota Motorsport GmbH will supply customer engines to the Jordan Grand Prix team for the 2005 season.

A one-year deal was concluded on Friday 12 November which will see Jordan Grand Prix purchase a supply of 2005-spec Toyota RVX-05 engines at an affordable price for the 2005 Formula 1 season.

Tsutomu Tomita, Chairman of Toyota Motorsport GmbH and Team Principal of Panasonic Toyota Racing said of the announcement: "The decision to supply Jordan Grand Prix with engines was only taken in recent weeks once engine regulations for 2005 were confirmed. The move to a two-race engine and the recent planned reduction of testing for next year have also contributed considerably to making this deal possible. The last-minute nature of this agreement will offer us a real challenge for the upcoming season, but it is one which we are happy to take on. We are pleased to be able to offer our services to help another team, given the difficulties that Formula 1 is currently facing, particularly with engine supply. I sincerely hope that the Toyota RVX-05 engine will be a substantial asset to the Jordan team in the coming season."

The agreement between Toyota Motorsport and Jordan Grand Prix will not result in a re-branding of the Jordan team in 2005 and the Toyota name and logo will not be used in conjunction with those of Jordan Grand Prix next season.

Eddie Jordan told the teams official site at f1jordan.com, "Toyota are to be commended. Not only have they been fantastic to Jordan by agreeing this deal at such short notice, but they have also done the magnanimous thing for the sport by putting Formula One above their own exclusivity. A supply of Toyota engines is an enormous boost for Jordan and I am very excited about putting together our 2005 package in the coming weeks and months. This announcement, along with others coming shortly, will revive the fortunes of Jordan Grand Prix and at the same time I hope we can help Toyota in the battle for World Championship honours."

Credit for story photo goes to Huw Alban at weedonphotographic.co.uk

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