Eddie Jordan castigates the current state of Formula 1
The former team principal, founder and president of the eponymous Jordan Grand Prix team (from 1991 to 2005), didn't mince his words about today's F1 and its hybrid single-seaters.
Eddie Jordan criticized the current state of Formula 1, referring to modern cars as tractors. Over the years, the weight of F1 cars has continued to increase. This is partly explained by safety reasons, such as structures like the halo, as well as the addition of technologies related to the hybrid engine, which adds weight to the cars.
In 2012, the minimum weight was around 640 kg. Ten years later, this minimum has increased to 798 kg for the 2022-2024 period. An impressive increase. The new rules planned for 2026 should slightly reduce this weight, but we will still be far from the figures of the early 2010s.
Speaking on the Formula for Success podcast, Eddie Jordan strongly criticized the evolution of F1: “My God, when you were attending a race, let’s say at Silverstone, even if you weren’t on the starting grid but in the stands, when the race started and those V10 engines were roaring, I can promise you that the ground was shaking,” he said.
The ground was literally moving beneath you, so much so that the power transmitted by the noise, the sound, and the vibrations was invading your body. It was pure pleasure on wheels. And that’s what, for me, motor racing was all about, what I loved so much. What is happening right now, whether it’s because of regulations or other things, is cowardice. Will we ever go back to V10s? Probably not.
« And the other thing, which is related to this and makes such a difference… let’s be honest with Lewis [Hamilton], Max [Verstappen] and Lando [Norris], they are doing an incredible job with these cars, but they are like tractors. They are like tractors. They weigh 1000 kilos, way too heavy. »
We can say that he does not mince his words. For my part, shame on the regulations, shame on the organizers, and shame on those who have Formula 1 deeply rooted in their souls because they have allowed this sport to take a direction from which it may never return, and I absolutely hate them for that.
