January 9 is a special date in the career of the fifth most successful Italian driver ever in Formula 1, the one who in the last 30 years has put together the best numbers for our country in the complex world of the Circus. On January 9, 1997 in fact Giancarlo Fisichellathen a young talent of almost 24 years, signed with Jordan his second contract in F1. In fact, the debut had taken place the previous season, at the wheel of the little Minardi. The Roman had proved himself, competing in eight races and obtaining an eighth place in the Canadian Grand Prix as his best result. A result which at the time did not award championship points but which had contributed to putting ‘Fisico’ on the Circus map.
hence theEddie Jordan interest who for the 1997 season had decided to completely change the line-up of his team, relying on young people: via Martin Brundle and Rubens Barrichello, who respectively retired and migrated to Stewart, and inside the rookie Ralf Schumacher – brother of the already two-time champion Michael – and Fisichella himself. The pair did not fail to create sparks, such as in Argentina and at the Nürburgring, two occasions in which the reckless driving of the German put offside – following two contacts – precisely the twin car of Physicist.
Despite the bad luck that also accompanied him in that year’s German GP – a race that Fisichella could have won without a mocking puncture that struck him seven laps from the end – the Roman scored some excellent results. Physicist in fact he picked up 20 points, finishing ninth in the Drivers’ classification (which later became eighth after the exclusion of Michael Schumacher due to the events at Jerez). The 24-year-old Roman center also two podiums, passing under the checkered flag third in Canada and even second to Spa-Francorchampsin a race dominated by Kaiser-Schumi’s Ferrari.
At the end of the season, Fisichella managed to stay comfortably ahead of Ralf Schumacher for the number of points collected, earning thanks to his results the immediate call to Benetton. In the two-year period 2002-2003 Eddie Jordan would then return to the court, embellished in that case by theunforgettable victory in the 2003 Brazilian GP.
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