Bertrand Gachot and Eddie Jordan reconcile after past tensions:

— Bertrand Gachot shared his experience of being jailed in 1991 after a road rage incident with a London taxi driver. He explained that he used tear gas to defend himself after the driver threatened him.

“I thought I’d get a slap on the wrist, but the judge wanted to make an example of me. Two years was tough.”

— Gachot described how the incident began.

“I was meeting Eddie and Pepsi for sponsorship talks when a taxi driver brake-tested me. After a minor tap on his car, he came at me aggressively. I used tear gas to defend myself, and the police were called.”

— The court proceedings took place shortly after Gachot won the Le Mans 24 Hours, and he was jailed unexpectedly before the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix.

— While Gachot was in jail, Eddie Jordan replaced him with Michael Schumacher, who made an impressive debut at Spa.

“Eddie didn’t want me to go to jail, but he wanted me convicted. The contract allowed him to replace me, and everyone wanted that car.”

— Fans showed support for Gachot at Spa with banners.

“We love Bertrand” and “Forget Eddie Jordan.”

— Upon his release, Gachot attempted to reclaim his seat at the Japanese Grand Prix. However, the relationship with Jordan was strained, as the team no longer supported his return.

— Reflecting on Schumacher, Gachot shared his perspective.

“When I came out of jail, I met Michael in Japan. He said, ‘You were in jail. J-A-I-L.’ But he also apologized and showed respect.”

— Over time, Gachot and Jordan reconciled their differences, and their relationship turned cordial.

“I thought, ‘Why the hatred?’ War is gone. And basically, we started to chat again. It was really fun.”

— Gachot appreciated the turn of events, eventually visiting Jordan’s home with his family.

“He invited me to his beautiful family home in Soto Grande, and it was great. I came with my kids, his kids, and I thought it was really nice, you know.”

#formula1

VIA: [PLANET F1: