Eddie Jordan, who founded and owned Jordan Grand Prix, which raced from 1991-2005, has taken Lewis Hamilton’s side amid a public discussion over Mercedes’ failure to listen to him while developing the W14.
The seven-time world champion spoke out in the media to demand accountability over the team’s challenges on-track, calling on those behind the flawed design to “own up” and accept their mistakes.
“As a team owner you wouldn’t have liked it,” Jordan explained.
“However, if I was a driver and I heard the team owner saying that ‘I think the engineers have let us down and they have missed something here, and they have missed something there’.
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“I’m critical of Toto and I’m critical of the team. With the power and might and the knowledge and the backing they’ve had, Mercedes should be at least competitive to give us, the paying punters, a really good fight.
“I don’t want to go and see a Grand Prix who’s going to come third to the Red Bulls. At the moment unfortunately that’s what’s happening.
“I think Toto needs to rally his troops, he needs to gain total and absolute confidence of all parties, including Lewis.
“Lewis would not have said that if there hadn’t been that feeling openly within the team.
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“Can I criticise Lewis for saying what he said? I wouldn’t have liked it but there had to be a reason for it.”
Mercedes is still off the pace of their Red Bull rivals, although there was some promise of a Silver Arrows comeback in Australia, qualifying in P2 and P3, close behind Max Verstappen and ahead of Fernando Alonso.
The team are currently working on developing an upgrade package that is set to be introduced ahead of the Imola Grand Prix.