The Jordan 193, the new single-seater from the Irish team for the 1993 season, was developed in complete discontinuity with previous designs, featuring a completely new aerodynamic approach. The design of the 193 was once again entrusted to Technical Director Gary Anderson, assisted by engineers Mark Smith and Andrew Green, responsible for the car’s mechanics and structure, respectively. After the disastrous experience with Yamaha in '92, the team switched to the Hart 1035 V10 engine for this season. Though less powerful than the Japanese V12, it marked a definite step forward in terms of reliability and ease of setup, even if it still couldn't match the top-performing engines in terms of peak power.
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| JORDAN 193, Thierry Boutsen Spa-Francorchamps, Belgian GP 1993 |
The 193's aerodynamics were thoroughly revised, representing a clean break from previous Jordan models. The most notable changes were at the front end, featuring a higher nose with a more pronounced downward slope in McLaren style, running nearly straight between the suspension and the cockpit bulkhead. The front wing abandoned the traditional shape used in previous seasons in favor of a straight profile supported by three small pylons. Due to these aerodynamic innovations, the 193 underwent continuous refinements throughout the season in an attempt to find the right balance between mechanics and aerodynamics. This balance was particularly hard to achieve due to the car’s very short wheelbase, which proved too limited and caused troublesome rear-end instability, necessitating an extension partway through the season.
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| JORDAN 193, Rubens Barrichello Magny-Cours, French GP 1993 |
Despite the limited budget, Gary Anderson managed to equip the new 193 with a traction control system and a new six-speed semi-automatic gearbox derived from X-Trac. This gearbox, however, caused frequent breakdowns in early-season tests, forcing the team to temporarily revert to a manual system until the semi-automatic became reliable enough to finish a full Grand Prix. Unlike the best rival cars, the 193 was not equipped with the now-essential electronic suspension systems, a technology requiring a specially designed car and, above all, significant financial resources to develop properly. This lack was the main reason for the substantial performance gap, around three seconds per lap, between Jordan’s cars and those of the top teams.
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| JORDAN 193, Marco Apicella Monza, Italian GP 1993 |
Nonetheless, the 193 proved significantly more competitive than its predecessor, the 192, partly thanks to another “discovery” by talent scout Eddie Jordan, who brought to light yet another great driver: Brazilian Rubens Barrichello. Barrichello's talent began to show on several occasions, such as at Donington, where he held third position for a long time in the rain before being slowed by a fuel system issue. Less fortunate was the decision to pair him with veteran Italian driver Ivan Capelli, who was replaced after just two lackluster races by another experienced driver, Belgian Thierry Boutsen. Already at the end of his career, Boutsen left Formula 1 after a few anonymous races. Jordan then decided to turn back to young talent. After giving chances to Italians Marco Apicella and Emanuele Naspetti, the team debuted another promising youngster in Suzuka: Northern Irishman Eddie Irvine, who immediately scored an incredible sixth place in his debut race, right behind teammate Barrichello, earning himself a seat for the following season.
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| JORDAN 193, Thierry Boutsen Magny-Cours, French GP 1993 |
Thanks to these two finishes, the team’s only 3 points that season, Jordan ranked eleventh in the Constructors’ Championship, a result well below expectations for a team that had started its Formula 1 adventure in 1991 by scoring 13 points in its debut season.
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