Jordan rumoured to use Renault power next year
This is an article I found today on Crash.net
"One of the more interesting rumours to have emerged from the inaugural Chinese Grand Prix last weekend is that Jordan may be considering Renault power as a means to keep itself on the grid next season.
The Silverstone-based team is among the trio caught on the hop by Ford's decision to withdraw completely from Formula One - along with Jaguar and Minardi - joining the Italian team without a confirmed engine supply in 2005. Although Minardi boss Paul Stoddart is adamant that he has both a valid contract with Cosworth - signed a matter of days before Ford's bombshell - and a supply of three-year old engines that he could revert to, Jordan has no such luxury.
The cash-strapped team had been thought close to doing a deal with Toyota for customer engines in 2005, possibly at the cost of adding Ryan Briscoe to its driving strength, but Eddie Jordan was staying quiet when questioned on the matter, both in the wake of Ford's announcement and over the Shanghai weekend. Now, however, Spanish paper Marca is suggesting that he may be getting in to bed with Renault.
While Toyota remains the most likely option when it comes to supplying customer engines next season - while the likes of BMW, Honda and Mercedes continue to shy away from the possibility - Renault president Patrick Faure has also supported the idea, partly as a way of financing his own team.
Formula One engine rules will force teams to switch to 2.4-litre V8s next season, although Stoddart has already asked for an exemption as using the current three-litre V10s would guarantee that his team would definitely be on the grid in 2005. Jordan, meanwhile, remains up for sale - along with Jaguar - and a guaranteed engine deal would make it a more attractive proposition to potential buyers."
If this happens, and Jordan can create a decent chassis, then they should be better next year.
I don't see it as a huge improvement...
although I would be glad to hear that Jordan stays in F1 no matter what engine they use.
The Renault engine is a good one, but not great, I'm not sure it's much stronger than the Jag's Cosworth block. Whether Jordan's engines were the same spec as Jag's, I'm not sure. Regardless, a boost in power alone will not help Jordan much. They have a terrible chassis right now, and much work to do if they want to improve for next season.
