The 198 ran promisingly in pre-season testing, however the car struggled in the early part of the season. Damon Hill complained of understeer and the Mugen Honda engine was down on power. After Jordan failed to score a point in the first half of the season, Gary Anderson left the team and Eddie Jordan hired Mike Gascoyne to rework the car.[5] Numerous improvements were made to the 198's suspension, front wing and floor, while Mugen developed the engine.[6] Further tyre development work by Goodyear enabled the team to enjoy a resurgence, scoring points in every race bar one in the second half of the season.[7] This included Hill taking their first F1 victory at the Belgian Grand Prix, with Schumacher second. Schumacher also finished third in Italy, while Hill was fourth on three occasions. The team ultimately finished fourth in the Constructors' Championship with 34 points, four behind Williams in third and one ahead of Benetton in fifth.[8]
Sponsorship and livery
For the third consecutive year, Benson & Hedges was the team's main sponsor. The 198 featured a bright yellow "hornet" livery, with a hornet's eye and head painted on the either side of the nosecone; wings and stripes on the side of the car. At the Grands Prix that did not allow tobacco advertising, the text was replaced with the hornet-related "Buzzin' Hornets".
Additionally, the team was able to gain the MasterCard sponsorship on the airbox prior to the withdrawal of Lola based team from the previous season.
^Despite Repsol YPF is an oil and gas company as a major sponsor of Jordan Grand Prix since 1998 season, the Repsol YPF branding appears on the Jordan 198, but the car uses Elf fuel and lubricants.
References
^"Jordan 198". www.statsf1.com. Retrieved 14 February 2020.
