MEDIA 

RALF IS FREE TO GET THE WILLIAMS DRIVE

Schumacher released by Jordan  - 02/09/98 
Ralf Schumacher now looks set to join the Williams F1 team next season after it  was revealed that his current team  boss  Eddie Jordan had released him from  his  contract. The 23-year-old, who finished second   behind   team   leader  Damon  Hill  in the
Belgian GP had been in litigation with Jordan who
 

 

 
did   not  want   him  to  talk  to   Williams  over  a proposed four year contract. 
"Ralf  is  free. Jordan  are  no longer in talks with him," Ralf's manager Willi Weber said. Negotiations  with   Williams   are   underway  but apart from that I don't wish to say any  more,"  he
added. The  decision  by  Jordan  will  come  as  a surprise because on Monday he had taken time off from  celebrating  his  team's  1st  ever success by launching an attack on  Michael  Schumacher  over his efforts to encourage Ralf to move to  Williams. 
Ralf,  who  has driven for Jordan for the past two seasons, said that even Sunday's result  would not change his mind. Ralf was  clearly  unhappy  about the team orders given out  during  the race, saying he  had  planned  to  try  to  pass  Hill when racing resumed on lap 32. "But  you can't always do what you want to do," he said. 
An emotionless Schumacher said that Hill had been quicker all weekend and deserved the win.