By Justin Hynes

10/04/00: After the relief of Brazil and their first seven points of the season, Imola pulled the rug out from under Jordan yesterday as the team suffered a double nonfinish at a San Marino Grand Prix where Michael Schumacher narrowly beat arch-rival Mika Hakkinen to the chequered flag.

After the race at Interlagos, team owner Eddie Jordan had said he was looking forward to a return to Europe and the opportunity to strengthen their assault on third place in the constructors' championship. It wasn't to be.

Despite solid qualifying performances to give Heinz-Harald Frentzen a start from sixth and Jarno Trulli eight place on the grid, the race began to come apart as early as the fourth lap when Frentzen slowed dramatically. He cruised into the pits and, shaking his head at mechanics, climbed from the car.

"After only four laps I had a gearshift selection problem and

couldn't shift down from sixth gear, so I had no choice but to come into the pits," said Frentzen.

Jordan hopes switched to Trulli, who had moved up to sixth and a possible championship point. But the Italian's gearbox let go too with just four laps remaining.

"It seems I don't have any luck in Imola, since I've never finished a race here," he said. "I had made a good start and had moved up to sixth place. The race went without any incidents until right near the end I lost fifth gear."

Eddie Jordan admitted his disappointment at the team's first European outing of the season. "After the good boost we had in Brazil, today was particularly disappointing," he said.

The day proved better for Eddie Irvine who recorded his first finish of the season for new employers Jaguar. Irvine claimed seventh with team-mate Johnny Herbert securing 10th.