In the world of Formula 1, there is one question that never fails to spark debate among fans and pundits alike: Who is the best driving duo in the history of the sport? This topic, often a favourite in motorsport circles, has recently been given a new angle through the insights of legendary team principal, Eddie Jordan.

His views, and in particular his unexpected criticism of Michael Schumacher, have added a new dimension to this ongoing debate.

 

 

Prost-Senna: The incomparable duo, says Jordan

Speaking on David Coulthard’s Formula for Success podcast, Eddie Jordan offered his perspective on this age-old debate. He placed Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna at the top of the list, citing their extraordinary talent as the reason for his choice.

“I think Prost-Senna are probably number one because they were so extremely talented,” Eddie Jordan said

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Prost and Senna, teammates at McLaren from 1988 to 1990, engaged in one of the most intense and memorable rivalries in motorsport history. During their time together, they amassed a significant number of world championships: Senna won the 1988, 1990 and 1991 titles, while Prost emerged victorious in 1989 after a dramatic collision with his team-mate.

Jordan highlighted their exceptional speed and competitive spirit as key factors in his assessment.

“Prost with four titles and of course Senna with several titles. And they were incredibly fast,” said Jordan, explaining his choice of the strongest driver duo

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The controversial view of Schumacher

The conversation took a surprising turn when Jordan discussed why Michael Schumacher and his various team-mates were not considered for the award. He recalled a specific incident in 1999 when Schumacher, returning from a leg injury, allegedly promised to support his team-mate Eddie Irvine in the championship fight. However, Jordan claimed that Schumacher reneged on the promise.

“Schumacher came back in 1999 after breaking his leg and told everyone that he would help Eddie Irvine win the World Cup. He didn’t do that,” the 75-year-old claimed.

Delving into Schumacher’s mindset, Jordan claimed that the German driver did not want anyone else to win the world championship with Ferrari. This belief, he said, was shared by both himself and Irvine.

“Schumacher didn’t want anyone other than him to become world champion with Ferrari,” said Jordan.

“I believe that and Irvine believes that!”

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Review of the 1999 season: Schumacher’s controversial role

Jordan’s criticism focuses on the events of the 1999 season. Schumacher made his comeback in the penultimate race in Malaysia, having recovered from a leg injury sustained at Silverstone. In Malaysia, despite his clear dominance, he allowed Irvine to win, thus boosting the Northern Irishman’s chances in the season finale at Suzuka.

However, it was Schumacher’s actions in the final race at Suzuka that drew Jordan’s ire. Despite securing pole position and being in an advantageous position to hinder Mika Hakkinen’s championship ambitions, Jordan felt that Schumacher had not done enough to help Irvine.

“If you look at how he handled the last race at Suzuka, he didn’t do anything to help Eddie,” said Jordan.

Schumacher took pole position in Japan ahead of Hakkinen and was therefore in the best position to take crucial points from the Finn. At the start, he lost first place to Hakkinen – and not by choice. A year later, with Schumacher himself fighting for the championship, the same thing happened again: Hakkinen had better traction on the inside of the Ferrari and accelerated effortlessly into the lead.

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The common history of Jordan and Schumacher

Jordan’s criticism of Schumacher is particularly interesting given their shared history. The German legend made his F1 debut with Jordan’s team at Spa in 1991. In his very first qualifying session, Schumacher drove the underdog car to a remarkable seventh place, although his race ended prematurely due to clutch failure.

Jordan then found his prodigy off to Benneton soon after debut, a team he went on to win two F1 drivers titles’ with in 1994 and 1995.

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