Team chief Eddie Jordan believes he could be about to unleash another 'Michael Schumacher' into Formula One in the shape of new signing Ralph Firman.
Jordan admitted he might have taken a gamble in belatedly handing the 27-year-old Brit his passport to the grid after barely 60 laps testing experience in a grand prix car.
But Jordan reckoned Firman could emerge as the driver to spearhead the challenge to five-time world champion Schumacher, who made his debut with Jordan in 1991 but left for Benetton after one race.
"It may be a gamble, time will tell," said Jordan, whose team have also launched the careers of Schumacher's brother Ralf; Rubens Barrichello and Eddie Irvine.
"Jordan is one of the few - maybe the only team - which takes risks with young drivers. We have always been credited for being brave, taking on new talent and having a crack and seeing what we can generate.
"I believe if we are going to find a real successor to somebody like Michael Schumacher then you have to cultivate drivers who are existing in F1 already or bring on some new drivers.
"With Giancarlo Fisichella I believe we have a driver who is capable of beating Michael over time and Ralph may be just the new guy on the block who also may be able to do that sort of thing."
Jordan believes Firman's race credentials and the experience he gained from competing in Japan for six years - particularly his first few seasons when he had an uncompetitive car - will stand him in good stead this season.
Such is his confidence, Jordan effectively admitted yesterday that bringing Irvine back into the team was never a serious option despite his availability and own belief that he could bring speed and reliability to the team.
"We were castigated from heaven for daring to take a guy like Michael Schumacher out of sportscars and we know where he is now. You could effectively have the same thing with Ralph," added Jordan.
"But you can't have that with Eddie, who has had his chance and has had very good cars. It never really was the case that things were about to happen with Eddie.
"I want to move on and make sure I try and find the next major talent and next world champion. The one fantastic attribute Ralph has is that he has suffered some fantastic pain.
"The young and up and coming guys who have had success, success, success don't realise what its like to be in a car at the heat of the moment and to have a team-mate like Fisichella who suddenly goes bang and you are a second slower.
"If that was to happen to Ralph and I don't think it will, he would be able to mentally cope with that and analyse carefully how he could make his position better in the team."