Pride, Prejudice, Emma and Formula One

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Updated: 09/08/2000

Fitzwilliam Darcy made his Formula One debut two years ago with the Jordan team, and now begins his third year with that team. A former winner of the Formula 3000 championship, he had many offers from all the leading teams, but chose Jordan. Fitzwilliam Darcy is, of course, also the cousin of team manager Richard Fitzwilliam. He has other relations involved in the sport including his aunt, Lady Cathering DeBourg who owns the Minardi team. He has one younger sister, Georgiana, and both his parents are deceased. Lives in Pemberley, the Darcy family estate in Derbyshire.

Elizabeth Bennett is the first woman Formula One driver. She is a member of the Jordan Grand Prix team and is about to start her first season with the team. As the daughter of John Bennett, a legendary Formula One driver who tragicly died many years ago during the Belgian Grand prix at Spa, and as the first woman to reach this pinnacle of world motorsport she has a hard task ahead of her to prove herself worthy of her place in the sport. She is currently single and lives with her sister, Jane, who is the Jordan team physiotherapist. She also has three younger sisters- Mary, Kitty and Lydia. Her mother, Francis Bennett is also no stranger to Formula One, as the daughter of a former mechanic.

Charles Bingley has been a Formula One driver for three years. He spent his first three years at Jordan, and now drives for Ferrari. Well-known for his charm and wit, Charles Bingley is the playboy of the Formula One grid. Divides his time between his homes in Milan and Dalkey, in Dublin, and his boat. Is rarely seen without a beautiful woman on his arm, but he remains a confirmed bachelor. He has two sisters, Louisa and Caroline. Louisa is married to media mogul Henry hurst. Both parents are deceased.

Team manager at Jordan for the past four years, when he became the youngest ever team manager. Although he is still in his twenties, he is well known for his on-track tactical brilliance, and also for being universally well-liked on the pitlane. He is known as the Colonel to those who know him best. Richard Fitzwilliam is the younger son of the Earl of Matlock, as well as being the cousin of driver Fitzwilliam Darcy and nephew of Minardi-owner Lady Catherine De Bourg.

Jane Bennett is team physiotherapist at Jordan, having just joined at the begining of this season after working in a private practice. A former model, Jane Bennett proves that she is not just a pretty face. She is the eldest daughter of John and Francis Bennett, and has four younger sisters including Elizabeth, who is a driver in the Jordan team.

Emma Woodhouse is the Jordan team Public Relations manager. A native of Highbury in Surrey, she started working for the team at the begining of last seson, after finishing college. Although she is thought by many to be too young to hold the position she does, she is only twenty-three, she has consistently showed great flair and talent in her position. She still lives in Highbury, with her father. She has one sister, Isabella, who is married to John Knightley, a respected barrister in London.  John is the brother of Jordan engineer George Knightley.

George Knightley is Elizabeth Bennett's race engineer at Jordan. It is his first year working for the team after working at Ferrari for the last five years, but was encouraged to make the move to Jordan by Richard Fitzwilliam and Emma Woodhouse. His brother, John, is married to Emma's sister and they have know each other for many years, having grown up the the same village of Highbury in Surrey.

Charlotte Lucas is race engineer to Fitzwilliam Darcy for two years, since they both joined the team.  She is one of the very few female engineers in Formula One and is very highly thought of and has over ten years of experience in various F1 teams.  She is the eldest daughter of Sir William Lucas of Lucas Lodge in Herefordshire, and is engaged to be married to William Collins, a Minardi driver.

William Collins entered Formula One five years ago with the Minardi team, due to his patron, Lady Catherine De Bourg.  He is yet to score a single point.  Engaged to Charlotte Lucas, who is race engineer to Fitzwilliam Darcy at Jordan.

Philip Elton is begining his second season in Formula One once again as a member of the Minardi team.  He is well-liked in the paddock due to a certain amount of charm, but is said to be endangering any career in the sport by staying at Minardi.  He lives in London with his mother and has no other close family.

Lady Catherine DeBourg is the owner of the Minardi Formula One team since buying the team five years ago.  Since then, she has run the team from afar, dictating everything but taking no active part in the team.  The team scored a single point in their debut season, but has failed to record a single points finish since then.  Lady Carherine lives at Rosings Park in Kent with her daughter, Anne.  She is the sister of the Earl of Matlock and the aunt of both Fitzwilliam Darcy and Richard Fitzwilliam, but has so far been unable to lure them away from Jordan.