10/06/2005
NEWS STORY
Jordan team boss, Colin Kolles, has told his driver, Narain Karthikeyan, to raise his game.
Speaking to reporters at Montreal, Kolles said: "I was not very happy with the performance of Narain in Monte Carlo, also I was not very happy with his performance at the Nurburgring. He knows this, I told him this."
Despite the obvious limitations of the Jordan, Karthikeyan is coming under increasing pressure from teammate Tiago Monteiro, who has out-qualified the Indian three times this season (out of seven) and has finished every race.
"At the beginning Tiago was a little bit behind Narain," said Kolles, "now he is doing a better job. This also has something to do with experience.
"I think both drivers are not as bad as they look," he continued, "we have to give them a better car and then they will look much better. We are realistic enough to know that the car is not a good car, you can see it on the track."
Asked to explain Karthikeyan's (apparent) lack of pace, Kolles said: "I think he is putting himself a little bit too much under pressure and he is overdriving the car. This is what I hear from the engineering side. I hope that it will improve."
It's understood that Jordan, which has a one-year engine deal with Toyota, will soon be in a position to announce its engine partner for 2006.
"I think we are happy, they are happy," he said.