Jos Verstappen was our saviour in the 1990s and the early 2000s in the Formula One. Finishing twice on the podium with Benetton, doing incredible stuff with the Simtek and Arrows. Only to be ready to become a world champion with Honda, if the projected was not canned. Even in his last year he showed he still got it in the Minardi. However, there is a bittersweet taste about his era and it’s called Jordan Grand Prix. While he and his management were multiple times in contact with Eddie’s team the contract never materialised. I have an idea why Jos and Jordan never happened.
First of all, I asked Ian Phillips about Huub Rothengatter and how many times he went to the team to negotiate a contract for Jos. He told me that Huub was plenty of times at the team as he was the representative of Philips Car Stereo. Therefore, he was in close contact with the team and kept on mentioning Jos. However, when the team asked how much money he would bring Huub’s answer was always none.
Jos Verstappen made a huge impression with his test for Footwork and McLaren in late 1993. We all know now that Huub Rothengatter made the wrong move for signing with Benetton. Obviously was the test role for 1994 with McLaren while racing in the Formula 3 the best option. The strange and even bad decisions made seems to be a part of Verstappen’s career in the Formula One. The flirting with teams as Sauber and Arrows somehow never stopped. However, the deal with Jordan Grand Prix was never made. Neither with the help of Michel Perridon from Trust. The first talks already date back to what seems to be in late 1993.
I believe the issue most of the time was the management of Verstappen at that time. Especially Huub Rothengatter who rather made the deal quick, and most of the time asking too much money then wait for a better one. It happened a couple of times for Verstappen. Especially with Jordan and Sauber this seemed to be the main issue he never drove for them. What many don’t know, and I will write about later, is that Jos had a deal with the Sauber team to race for them. Now are there the speculations that Sauber would not get the Ferrari engines if they would sign Jos. Most likely it was due to the management.
The first time Jos was linked with Jordan was in late 1993 when the team was looking for a second driver. In January 1994, some news items appeared stating that Jos was a serious candidate for the team. Eventually, Rubinho and Eddie Irvine became the drivers for the team.
It seems that the management of Jos and Jordan came in contact again in late 1995. The first negotiations happened in September or October 1996. However, at this point there were also talks with the new Stewart Grand Prix, Sauber and even Benetton these talks can be traced back to August 1996. The problem here is that Rothengatter waited too long before he agreed on a contract. This resulted (in)directly in the loss of one of Jos his main sponsors Philips Car Systems. The deal was canned because of Huub Rothengatter stated the BBC in late September 1996. Quoting Eddie Jordan “Jos can forget a deal with us, unless Huub has nothing to do with his businesses anymore”. Huub asked too much from the team, the repeated habbit it seems with Jordan and basically all teams. Eventually a deal was signed with Tyrrell the 28th of November with Tyrrell for 1997.
In 1999 the next serious opportunity. That season Damon Hill lacked the motivation to continue in the Formula One, especially after the French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours it seemed that Hill would leave the Formula One earlier. After a miserable race, he stated in the media “this could my last race” “the enjoyment factor has decreased sufficiently”. Only days after the French Grand Prix Jos Verstappen tested with the Jordan 199. Rumours sparked that Jos Verstappen, at that time Honda test driver, could replace Hill as soon as the next Grand Prix. It could have been the perfect replacement for Hill. Jos knew the engine, and had the knowledge to develop. Jos tested with the 199 the 29th and 30th of June 1999 at Silverstone. Showing great times on the scoreboard. Shinji Nakano tested those days as well for the team.
As it seems there was a serious chance for Verstappen to replace Hill, Hill decided to finish the season with Jordan after the British Grand Prix. Therefore, there was no possibility to sign a deal for the rest of the season and perhaps for 2000 and 2001. However, there seemed to have been talks with Jordan in late 1999 for a seat in 2000. Not much facts are known about the talks that happened.
While Jos his focus in 2002, after being sacked by Arrows, was on his son Max he was still looking for a seat in the Formula One. While he and Arrows were still on the court, there were talks of Verstappen returning to Arrows replaced Frentzen. Around that same time, some contact was there again with Jordan. It is not sure if it was for in season or for the next season. Eventually, he would join the Minardi team.
The last time there was a serious chance for Jos Verstappen to be finally a Jordan Grand Prix driver was for the 2004 season. A lot is written about this episode, one that is in a sense interesting and mind blowing. The 17th of December 2003 Eddie Jordan visited the HQ from Michel Perridon’s Trust company. Trust and the management from Verstappen made the decision that Minardi was no long an option for 2004, I still believe it would, therefore their focus went on Jordan who had a seat left. They spoke two hours with each other. Eventually an agreement was made, it seemed that Jos would race for Jordan in 2004.
It seemed indeed, because in late January 2004 the news came that the negotiations between the two were over. Jos his management stated that there was not enough confidence in the offered contract. Jos would not return on the grid in 2004. Strangely, the Trust sponsoring was visible on the car and at that moment Perridon stated there was no sponsor deal.
Then there was the news in May 2004. Jos Verstappen will test for Jordan and perhaps sign a deal for the rest of the season. The 5th of May Jos arrived at the factory for a seat fitting. This in preparation for his test with Jordan the 1st of June at Silverstone. No other drivers will test with the car that day. However, the 26th of May Jos Verstappen told the media he would not test for the team. As the seat fitting was too complicated to give Jos a proper positon in the EJ14. There were some rumours in early 2005 of a Double Dutch at Jordan with Jos and Robert though this never happened. The end of Jos his career and 2005 would be the last year for Jordan Grand Prix as well.
