F1 News, Reports and Race Results

Fancy owning a big piece of Jordan/Schumacher history?

The debate over the best looking F1 car in history is often as fierce as the dispute over the best driver in history, and now there is a rare opportunity to own a machine that brings two contenders for those titles together.

Historic car dealer Speedmaster Cars has been entrusted with the sale of a Jordan 191, chassis #6, driven by Michael Schumacher at the Belgian Grand Prix in 1991. And Speedmaster hopes the precious artefact will find a new home for a cool £1.25m!

Jordan Grand Prix's 191, which made its debut along with Eddie Jordan's eponymous outfit in 1991, fits the bill as one of the most beautiful F1 cars to ever grace the tracks.

And its sleek and aesthetic lines penned by Gary Anderson were put to good use by rookie Schumacher at Spa where the future legend made his F1 debut and promptly outpaced in qualifying regular driver Andrea de Cesaris.

Schumacher owed his race debut with Jordan to Bertrand Gachot when the future founder of F1i.com was temporarily put out of commission by the British courts. With the support of Mercedes, Schumacher stepped into an unknown car and on to an unfamiliar track to qualify a remarkable seventh, 0.774s ahead of de Cesaris.

Alas, a clutch issue put paid to Schumacher's efforts on the climb up Raidillon on the opening lap, but for all it was clear to see: a star was born.

©SpeedmasterCars

 

Chassis 191-6 was raced by de Cesaris at Spa, and the Italian was running second behind McLaren's Ayrton Senna and catching the Brazilian when his engine expired just 3 laps from the checkered flag.

But Schumacher briefly drove chassis #6 in free practice at Spa which undeniably adds a slight premium to the Jordan 191's value.

De Cesaris was baffled by the German rookie's speed and requested to try his car in free practice. But the swap was futile as Schumacher remained faster.

Following its career in the 1991 F1 World Championship, 191-6 was sold to Belgian racer and collector Jean Blaton and remained in his collection until 2005.

The car was then acquired by amateur racer Didier Siruge who occasionally raced the car in the Boss F1 Series and took the car to the Goodwood Festival of Speed a number of times.

Current owner James Hanson recently tested 191-6 at Donington and was once again overwhelmed by the car's speed, grip and balance.

"Anything F1 machine from this period or little later is just so fast," said Hanson, quoted by Motorsport Magazine.

"It has so much grip, everything about this car just boggles the mind. The car is so pure – you turn the steering wheel and it goes where you want it to go, you brake and it stops.

"It wants to be driven fast, it’s involving to drive."

And now it wants to be bought. Any takers?

Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1 drivers

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

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.

Recent Posts

Sainz Sr: Formula 1 has overlooked Carlos’ ‘value and quality’

Carlos Sainz Sr, the legendary rally driver and father of F1 star Carlos Sainz Jr,…

10 hours ago

Steiner boldly predicts double-title F1 winner in 2025

Former Haas Team Principal Guenther Steiner has boldly predicted that McLaren will emerge victorious in…

12 hours ago

Ferrari reveals drivers’ new team kit for 2025

Ferrari says it has entered the ’1644’ era, referring to the race numbers of Charles…

13 hours ago

A banked blast for Ferrari's F1 chargers at Daytona

In the wake of last weekend's Rolex 24, here's a look back to the day…

14 hours ago

Penske Porsche does it again in Rolex 24

Porsche’s reign at the 24 Hours of Daytona hit a milestone last weekend, as the…

15 hours ago

Mercedes confirms launch date for W16 Silver Arrow

Mercedes has officially announced the launch date for their highly anticipated 2025 challenger, the W16…

16 hours ago