Since the acquisition of the Stewart team, Jaguar Racing has gone from one crisis to another, with constant changes in top management, something certainly not helpful for the stability and continuity of work in a Formula 1 team. In 2003, Ford, the owner of the British team based in Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire, England, took full control of the team, reorganizing it into an efficient squad to tackle 2004 with a new single-seater, the Jaguar R5.
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| JAGUAR R5, Mark Webber Shanghai, Chinese GP 2004 |
The role of Team Principal remained in the hands of Tony Purnell (CEO of the Premier Performance Division, overseeing Jaguar Racing, Cosworth Racing, and Pi Electronics), while British engineer David Pitchforth became CEO of Jaguar Racing, with his previous role as Technical Director of the team handed to Ian Pocock, a British engineer who had been involved in Formula 1 since 1990, when he worked at Reynard Motorsport on a project for a future car that never materialized. Pocock later became a consultant for Benetton Formula, then worked at Ligier and, under Barnard’s direction, joined Ferrari Design and Development before moving to Maranello as head of chassis development until 1999, when he left for Honda Racing Development with the late Postlethwaite to work on a car project that was ultimately canceled after Postlethwaite’s death. Ben Agathangelou (Head of Aerodynamics), Rob Taylor (Chief Designer), and Mark Gillan (Vehicle Performance Manager) retained their roles.
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| JAGUAR R5, Mark Webber Melbourne, Australian GP 2004 |
The new Jaguar R5, although an evolution of the previous R4, was in fact the first car to be conceived entirely under the directives of the new management structure put in place by Ford. Given the decent 2003 season, Pocock tried to preserve the strengths of the R4 and, according to CEO Pitchforth, the new R5 was developed much earlier than previous Jaguar cars, giving the team more time to refine the project. Nevertheless, Jaguar chose not to take excessive risks, and the R5 remained consistent with its predecessors. The chassis was a classic carbon-fiber monocoque built directly in Milton Keynes. The push-rod suspension system was completely redesigned to counteract the excessive tire wear of the R4, using carbon fiber and titanium for arms and rods, with torsion-bar dampers at the front and spring-based units at the rear. The engine was, of course, supplied by Ford, an evolution of the Cosworth CR-6 V10 at 90°, already used in 2003. Nick Hayes, Technical Director of Cosworth Racing, declared that the new CR-6 evolution was specifically developed to last an entire race weekend, as required by the new 2004 FIA regulations, and that the new materials allowed it to maintain around 900 hp at 19,000 rpm. Paired with the engine was a new transmission system developed by Jaguar itself: a lighter, more robust longitudinal seven-speed gearbox, replacing the troublesome one used in 2003. Both engine and gearbox were managed by a PI Research control unit, a company founded in the ’90s by Tony Purnell and purchased by Ford Motor Company in 1999.
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| JAGUAR R5, Christian Klien Montecarlo, Monaco GP 2004 |
The shape of the new R5 changed slightly, with a new nosecone inspired by the most competitive cars, most notably the Ferrari F2003-GA, though it retained the single-keel design for the lower front suspension mounts. The sidepods were more rearward and had a much more advanced design, with a higher front section tapering into a very low rear area surrounded by the inevitable winglets and flow deviators. With the new engine, a redesigned cooling system was introduced, with radiators mounted almost longitudinally within the sidepods to improve airflow. Aerodynamicist Agathangelou also reworked the engine cover and rear wing shapes, using data collected throughout 2003 with the R4. The livery of the new R5 remained the classic British Racing Green, with white and red sidepods and wings showcasing the logo of the British banking group HSBC, Jaguar’s main sponsor in 2004 as well. A special livery was used in Monaco GP, featuring a red nose and engine cover to promote the film Ocean’s Twelve. A diamond worth $300,000, provided by the jeweler Steinmetz, was mounted on the car’s nosecone; however, Klien’s car crashed into the guardrail at the Loews hairpin on the first lap, and rumor has it that by the time Jaguar staff reached the crash site, the diamond had vanished. On the driver front, Jaguar retained Australian Mark Webber for his second season in Milton Keynes and signed young Austrian Christian Klien, making his Formula 1 debut. As third driver, the team brought in reigning Formula 3000 champion Björn Wirdheim, a Swedish driver who participated in every Friday free practice session of the 2004 season but never made his race debut.
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| JAGUAR R5, Björn Wirdheim Monza, Italian GP 2004 |
From the very pre-season tests in February at the Catalunya-Barcelona circuit in Spain, it became clear that the new Jaguar car would not be capable of fighting for top positions. The start of the season was worse than expected, with only two points finishes in the first 10 races, both by Webber (8th in Bahrain and 7th at the Nürburgring). Only in the second half of the season, thanks to some updates, especially in aerodynamics, did the results improve slightly. After another 8th place for Webber in Britain, two 6th places followed: one in Germany with Webber and another in Belgium with Klien. Even though a further chassis update (R5B) was introduced after the summer break, results remained scarce, and the season ended with a meager tally of 10 points and seventh place in the Constructors’ Championship. At the end of the season, Ford decided to abandon the costly venture, and all Jaguar Racing assets were taken over by the Red Bull group, which ended its sponsorship of Sauber to enter Formula 1 directly as a constructor, thus beginning a story that would shape the future of the sport.
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