After two underwhelming years, Eddie Jordan’s team returned in 1994 to the level of performance it showed in its debut Formula 1 season, likely benefiting from the technical simplification brought about by the ban on electronic driver aids. The Irish team, managed by team manager John Walton, introduced the new Jordan 194, designed by the well-established engineering duo Gary Anderson and Andrew Green, who had been responsible for all of Jordan’s cars since its inception in 1990. They were supported by mechanical design engineer Mark Smith and aerodynamicist Darren Davies. The new car marked a return to the roots, drawing heavy inspiration from the Jordan 191 of three years prior, which had performed very well in its debut season.
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| JORDAN 194, Rubens Barrichello Montréal, Canadian GP 1994 |
The 194 borrowed several elements from the 191, including the front wing design, no longer supported by three pylons but connected directly to the low and sloping nose, with a shape similar to that of the 191, as well as the airbox and air intakes. The lower part of the nose cone was modified, and barge boards were mounted on its sides. The sidepods were elegantly shaped, tapering significantly toward the rear. The ban on advanced electronic suspensions partly played to Jordan’s advantage, as the team had never adopted them and could rely on two years of development of its traditional push-rod front and pull-rod rear suspension setup.
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| JORDAN 194, Andrea de Cesaris Imola, San Marino GP 1994 |
The car retained the Hart 1035 V10 engine, capable of delivering around 700 hp at 13,000 rpm, paired with a six-speed semi-automatic gearbox developed in-house by Jordan. With Sasol confirmed as the main sponsor, the livery of the 194 was similar to that of the previous car. However, unlike the 193, the 1994 car proved immediately competitive and, more importantly, easy to set up and push to the limit by the two confirmed and talented drivers from the previous season: Brazilian Rubens Barrichello and Northern Irishman Eddie Irvine. Right from the debut in Brazil, the new 194 showcased its strengths with a fine fourth place by Barrichello, while the fiery Irvine caused a multi-car crash at the start, earning a three-race ban. He was temporarily replaced first by Japanese driver Aguri Suzuki and then by veteran Italian driver Andrea de Cesaris.
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| JORDAN 194, Eddie Irvine Interlagos, Brazilian GP 1994 |
In the second race of the season, held at the Aida circuit in Japan, Eddie Jordan had his first real moment of joy, as Barrichello achieved the team’s first-ever podium, which was also his personal first. However, in the tragic Imola weekend, the Brazilian suffered a terrifying crash during Friday’s free practice: a rear-left suspension failure at high speed caused him to veer off at the final chicane, where he went sideways over the outside curb, the car took off, cleared the tire barrier, and hit the safety fencing. The car bounced back and flipped several times before coming to a rest upside down in the run-off area. Barrichello lost consciousness and was resuscitated by trackside doctors before being taken to the medical center, where he was diagnosed with only a fractured nasal septum and a broken right arm, injuries that nonetheless forced him to withdraw from the rest of the race weekend, which later claimed the life of his mentor and close friend Ayrton Senna.
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| JORDAN 194, Rubens Barrichello Montecarlo, Monaco GP 1994 |
In the following race in Monaco, De Cesaris took the spotlight by finishing fourth ahead of Ferrari’s Alesi, while in Spain Irvine returned to take sixth place. After five races, Jordan was incredibly fourth in the Constructors' Championship with 11 points. However, during the mid-season phase, the fragility of the 194 caused several problems, leading to frequent retirements. Only Barrichello managed a fourth-place finish at Silverstone. In the final six races, once reliability issues were resolved, the 194 regained its early-season form. Positive results returned, highlighted by Barrichello’s sensational pole position in Belgium, which was unfortunately undone by a crash while he was virtually in second place. At the end of the season, the 28 points scored by Jordan's cars secured the team fifth place in the Constructors' standings, one of the best results in the history of the Irish team, while Barrichello collected 19 points and finished sixth in the Drivers' Championship, behind only the drivers of the three top teams.
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