The Jordan-Ford 191 remains one of the most celebrated Formula 1 cars ever built, not only for its striking green-and-blue 7UP livery but also for the role it played during Jordan Grand Prix’s memorable debut season in 1991. Designed by Gary Anderson, the car quickly earned a reputation for its elegant aerodynamics and competitive pace, helping the fledgling team finish fifth in the Constructors’ Championship. Over the course of the season, drivers including Bertrand Gachot, Andrea de Cesaris, Roberto Moreno and Alessandro Zanardi all raced the iconic machine, which has since become a favourite among collectors and motorsport enthusiasts.
Now, one of the Jordan 191 chassis is set to go under the hammer at Bonhams’ Goodwood Revival Collectors’ Motor Cars and Automobilia auctions, where it is expected to fetch between £325,000 and £525,000. The model is forever linked with Michael Schumacher, who made his Formula 1 debut in a Jordan 191 at the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix after replacing the imprisoned Bertrand Gachot. Although his race ended within a few hundred metres because of a clutch failure, Schumacher stunned the paddock by qualifying seventh despite having almost no Formula 1 experience. That remarkable weekend convinced Benetton to sign the young German immediately, launching a legendary career that ultimately produced seven world championships. While the auctioned chassis is not confirmed as Schumacher’s race car, it remains a treasured symbol of the moment one of Formula 1’s greatest careers began.
“The emotions… knowing that my dad raced this car is very special”: Mick Schumacher opens up on driving the Jordan 191
Three decades after Michael Schumacher’s unforgettable Formula 1 debut, his son Mick Schumacher experienced an emotional full-circle moment by driving the iconic Jordan 191 at Silverstone in 2021. The demonstration marked 30 years since Michael stunned the Formula 1 paddock at the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix, where he qualified an astonishing seventh on his debut before retiring on the opening lap due to a clutch failure. For Mick, getting behind the wheel of the same green-liveried Jordan was far more than a commemorative run—it was a deeply personal tribute to his father’s extraordinary legacy.
Driving the historic car came with its own challenges. Mick admitted he did not have a custom-fitted seat and was forced to use only a piece of foam, causing him to slide forward under braking. “The emotions, and feeling and knowing that my dad raced this car as his first race car, is very special,” he said. “I was sliding around a lot… after every braking I had to push myself back up to see something.” Despite the discomfort, the experience was unforgettable. Mick also had to adapt to the Jordan’s manual H-pattern gearbox and the vastly different characteristics of a 1991 Formula 1 car. The symbolic drive served as a touching reminder of Michael Schumacher’s legendary career while highlighting Mick’s own journey in motorsport, carrying one of Formula 1’s most iconic surnames into a new generation.
