DAMON Hill hammered out a warning to Formula One's leading lights as he helped launch Jordan new grand prix car in London.

The former world champion said Jordan's aim was to "challenge and harry" the championship pacesetters when the season gets under way in Melbourne next month.

"We want to win more races than we did last year," said Hill, who scored the Silverstone-based outfit's maiden victory in Belgium last season.

"We want to challenge and harry and always be a threat to whoever might be on top. "We have to be realistic, but we are also very optimistic for this car. From what the team have been saying I am very encouraged for the season."

Team chief Eddie Jordan, who launched the car in a slick ceremony at the Palladium Theatre, is looking to consolidate last year's breakthrough season.

Jordan's team failed to score a point in the first half of the campaign, but in a dramatic turnaround finished in the top four for the first time.

"Now I want to finish in the top three," said Jordan. "That's not going to be easy because we would expect McLaren, Ferrari and Williams to be strong.

"But that's the aim. We know this car is an improvement on last year."

Jordan, who has signed Germany's Heinz-Harald Frentzen to partner Hill, added: "In 1999 we have two drivers who have won races, and they will help Jordan achieve what we want to achieve."

Story date: Wednesday 03 February

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.