The first Jordan Grand Prix Car, the 191

Jordan Grand Prix made its debut in the 1991 Formula One season with this, the Jordan 191. Irishman, Eddie Jordan, set up Jordan Grand Prix after realising he had reached his peak as a driver in British Formula 3, but still wanted to compete in Formula One as a team owner.

The 191 was built using a carbon fibre monocoque designed by Gary Anderson with the neat and economical design immediately raising eyebrows in the Formula One paddock. The reliable and powerful 3,494cc Ford V8 HBA4 engine was mated to a Hewland Jordan 6-speed manual gearbox with Goodyear tyres laying down the 730 horsepower. This was not the design or specification of a team in their first year of Formula One, this was a car and team with one aim in mind, to compete.

Courtesy of his Irish heritage, Eddie Jordan painted the 191 in green with blue lower section. Title sponsors included 7UP, Fuji Film, Tic-Tac and Denim, household names that Eddie Jordan had convinced to sponsor his new and upcoming team.

Over the course of its inaugural Formula One season, Jordan Grand Prix competed with five drivers, Bertrand Gachot, Roberto Moreno, Alessandro Zanardi, Andrea De Cesaris and ofcourse, Michel Schumacher. At the end of the season, Jordan Grand Prix finished a hugely respectable fifth overall in the Constructors’ Championship.

This 1991 Jordan 191

The Jordan 191 offered here, chassis 191-6, was first used at the Hungarian Grand Prix, round ten of the 1991 FIA Formula 1 World Championship. Wearing race number 33 and being driven by Italian, Andrea De Cesaris, this car qualified 16^th. An impressive race on Sunday saw De Cesaris and this 191 crossed the line an impressive 7^th overall.

Two weeks later, on the 25^th August 1991, this Jordan was again raced by Andrea De Cesaris at the Belgian Grand Prix. Held at the famed Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, the race covered 44 laps, with De Cesaris qualifying 11^th overall. Once again, De Cesaris raced this car, chassis 191-6 well, consistently improving his position until lap 31 where he took second place, chasing the McLaren of Ayrton Senna. With De Cesaris having whittled the gap down to a less than three seconds, he radioed to the Jordan pits that his engine water temperature was too high. The team responded tell him to keep pushing for his and the teams fist victory, but sadly with only two laps to go, the Jordan rolled toa halt with overheating.

Over the final five remaining rounds of the 1991 FIA Formula One World Championship, chassis 191-6 was used as a T-car. These races were the Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Japanese and Australian Grand Prix.

With the 1991 FIA Formula One season complete, Jordan later sold this car to famed Belgian race car driver, Jean Blaton where it joined his incredible, world-renowned, collection of classic and vintage cars. Blaton himself won his class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans four times, having competed in the race a total of fourteen times! Blatons impressive collection included Grand Prix cars from Ferrari, Renault, Williams, Lotus, Benetton and Wolf, alongside various Indy cars, Can-Am cars, a Ford GT40, Lancia LC1 and Ferrari F40 LM Prototype!

Having spent a long time in the famed Blaton Collection, this Jordan 191 was sold in February 2005 at the Automobiles de Collection auction by Artcurial to its current owner in France. At the 2009 Geneva Motor Show this Jordan was displayed to the public once again before competing at the 2011 Spa Classic Boss race. The car was regularly and correctly maintained throughout its life with its current owner, even being invited and competed at the 2012 and 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed where it finished an impressive 5^th overall in the Sunday shoot out.

Today, this Jordan 191 is considered one of the most beautiful Formula One cars, with its iconic colours, flowing lines tall rear wing and fat Goodyear tyres. In 2018, The Telegraph declared the Jordan 191 to be the prettiest of all Formula One cars. Today, it would be impossible for a new manufacturer to arrive in Formula One and finish fifth overall in the Contructors’ Championship, but in 1991, Jordan did exactly that, thanks to this, the 191.

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