A brake disc bell failure on Ralf Schumacher's car dashed the Jordan team's chances of taking fourth position in the Constructors' Championship today at the Nurburgring. An excellent race strategy by the team had enabled Ralf to overtake Frentzen and both Benettons in the pits but, with fourteen laps to go, a fifth place finish for Ralf and a further two points to take Jordan ahead of Benetton were lost when the German driver was forced to retire.

"A very frustrating day!" said Eddie Jordan, team owner. "It is disappointing to have fourth place so tantalisingly close and to see it go, especially when Ralf and the team had done such an outstanding job to beat the competition. Considering we have had five consecutive races without any failures, I suppose the law of averages said we were due one here. But our fight is not over yet. We have five weeks ahead of us to put together the best possible package for Suzuka."