12/06/2004
NEWS STORY
The stewards of the meeting have given permission for Timo Glock to drive car number 19 for Jordan Ford for the remainder of the Canadian Grand Prix. Giorgio Pantano is unable to take part in this Grand Prix due to personal circumstances however the team is supporting him and hopes he will be in a position to resume his normal driving duties at the next round of the Formula One World Championship in Indianapolis next week.
Glock is Jordan's official third driver and has participated in team test sessions and Friday free practice at every Grand Prix so far this season. He is the first driver to graduate to drive and now race in Formula One through Deutsche Post's "Speed Academy" driver development programme. Since 1990 every German F1 driver has raced for Jordan and Glock's F1 race debut will give Jordan its first all-German driver line-up.
Timo Glock: "I'm excited and a bit nervous to be taking part in this Grand Prix. It is my first time at this track and I spent most of yesterday learning the circuit. Obviously I was not expecting to race in F1 this soon and the circumstances are not very nice for my team mate Giorgio, but I will give full effort as always and I hope I can do a good job for the team."
Eddie Jordan, Chief Executive: "The circumstances of Timo's first race with Jordan are unexpected and he is certainly being thrown in at the deep end. He has been doing a first-class job as our test and official third driver and of course part of that role is to always be prepared, as reserve driver, to replace either race driver if they are unable to take part in an event. Timo's first Grand Prix has come rather more quickly than anybody anticipated but I have every confidence that he will give it his all. The Deutsche Post Speed Academy programme is designed to develop and bring on young drivers to prepare them for F1 and it's extraordinary - almost incredible - that two weeks after the initiative was announced in Nürburgring, the first Speed Academy success, Timo Glock, makes his F1 race debut."