The best is yet to come.

Potential
By Phil Giles
March 25 2003

Well known as McLaren sponsors, and less known as F1 pundits, Tag Heuer have suggested that only two races in, Jordan aren't living up to their promise and falling short of their aims.

Their official website says "At the beginning of the season, Gary Anderson said, somewhat optimistically, that the team was aiming for fourth place in the constructors' championship. However, Sepang and Melbourne have been a strong dose of realism for the team".

Dare we point out to the watchmakers website that the season is still only two races in and that there is still plenty of time for the team to fulfil it's early season promise.  After all, we noticed that a certain Ilmore powered engine went up in smoke on only the second lap of the Grand Prix.  Mclaren haven't always performed to the best of their ability and in fact, last season was perhaps one to forget.  All that the last two races show is that they have simply caught up to where Ferrari were this time last year.

Jordan have improved on this time last year.  In 2002, the Malaysian Grand Prix saw a rookie error from Takuma Sato, but Taku went on to become one of the stars of the year, finishing with a flourish at his home race in Japan.  Eddie Jordan's talent for searching out the best is well known.  In Giancarlo and Ralph, there is a driver pairing with potential. 

After the first Grand Prix of the season, the press wondered about Ralph's race ability, Sunday would certainly have silenced those critics.  It's early but Ralph's potential is there to be seen.  Giancarlo's ability speaks for itself.  The car will go through as much development as it needs during the year and within the next few races we certainly expect that the team will start scoring points.

Jordan's aims at the beginning of this season were simply to go racing.  They've achieved that aim.  The next is to get the car into a position where it will perform as well as it did during testing and then, the points will come.

Don't discount Jordan.  Keep watch-ing :-)