Saturday October 13th, 2001
Strike 50
This weekend's Japanese Grand Prix represents a major landmark for the British American Racing team as they will clock up a half century of Grands Prix in Suzuka. Between the four drivers who have taken to the wheel of a BAR for a Grand Prix (Jacques Villeneuve, Ricardo Zonta, Mika Salo and Olivier Panis) the team have completed 13,476 racing miles, but only has 37 points to show for it. At the launch, in 1999, team chief Adrian Reynard foolishly claimed the team would win on their debut, but in fact they failed to even score a point. Now, almost three years down the line, Craig Pollock admits: "The United States Grand Prix was our worst racing performance."
The landmark will certainly be celebrated by the BAR squad, but there will remain thoughts over where the team should be, 50 races on from their debut and where they will be when they clock up their next half century.
Hold On to the End
Jean Alesi will be desperate just to get to the finish of this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix, and not just because it is final race before he steps into retirement. Alesi will be more remembered as a go-at-it racer than an hold-back journeyman, so perhaps it is a mark of his ageing years as a racing driver that if he sees the chequered flag at the end of the race in Suzuka he will have completed every race of the season. Not since Richie Ginther in 1964 has a driver managed to complete every race of the season - so the little French-Sicilian will be desperately hoping he is not hit by the gremlins that have plagued Jordan this season. Reliable Jordan, let's wait and see - but reliable Alesi? Who'd have thought it.
Record Breakers
Four-time World Champion Michael Schumacher may have declared he is relaxed as he heads into the season finale at Suzuka, but he is still determined to win because there is another record landmark within his sights. He has already become the most successful Formula One driver by claiming a record-beating 52nd Grand Prix win in Belgium, and to that he has added the record for most points accrued in a season by beating Nigel Mansell's 1992 tally of 108. Add to that the fact he has clocked up another title to move him within one Championship of equalling the great Juan Manuel Fangio's five title wins, and his season already seems impressive. But there is one more record of former driver turned team boss Alain Prost yet to fall, and it could happen this weekend because, if Schumacher takes 10 points for a win in Japan, he will attain the highest points score in Formula One history.
EJ's Tour of London
Before Formula One team boss Eddie Jordan travelled out to Tokyo, he took some time to visit the big smoke of London for some charity support. Jordan, a big music fan and a keen backer of many charities, had a busy night when he turned up to the MOBO (Music of Black Origin) awards (sponsored by team backers Mastercard) and presented the Best Album award to R and B artist Usher. But non-stop Jordan also had time to visit jockey friend Richard Dunwoody at the Café de Paris in the West End to support the launch of his benefit year.
Published at 05:22:14 GMT
(03-11-2005): 
