Jordan: Force India in good hands thanks to Stroll's 'midas touch'

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Eddie Jordan, the man who supplied the original DNA to Force India back in 1991, sees a bright future ahead for the pink squad under the guidance of its new owner, Lawrence Stroll.

Saved from a painful demise at the last hour by the Canadian billionaire and his investment partners, Force India is but the fifth iteration of a team that started its life as Jordan Grand Prix some 24 years ago before morphing into Spyker, Midland, Force India and finally Racing Point Force India, the new entity on the grid.

As a regular visitor to the F1 paddock and occasional TV pundit, Jordan is still a keen observer of F1's affairs.

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For the former team boss, Force India's results in the past decade - or indeed its very survival - have been nothing short of amazing given the outfit's perennial limited means.

"[Midland founder Alex] Shnaider, [Spyker Team Principal Colin] Kolles, [Force India co-founder] Vijay [Mallya] - what they have done under the circumstances has been remarkable," said Jordan in F1's latest "Beyond the Grid" podcast".

"The achievements of Force India, when you think how little they have had over the last 10 years is absolutely staggering."
Assessing the events of late, Jordan is confident Force India will prosper thanks to lawrence Stroll's business acumen and outstanding credentials.

"I can tell you in terms of the man committed to success, Lawrence Stroll will make an amazing job here.

"Look what he did with Tommy Hilfiger. Look what he did with Michael Kors. Look what he did with all the brands he has been involved in.

"The man has a Midas touch. If he can put 10% of that touch into this team, this team will be absolutely great."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.