CELEBRITIES
Who is Carmen Jordá, the driver signed by Tom Cruise?
The Hollywood actor has reportedly hired the Spaniard, with whom he was seen in London a few days ago.
Carmen Jordá may have a new professional project in the works, and it’s with none other than Hollywood star Tom Cruise. According to a report in Hola magazine, the actor has apparently signed on the Spanish driver for a collaboration.
The two were photographed recently at the Battersea heliport in London, where they landed after returning from a recording studio. The helicopter, piloted by Cruise himself, carried the actor, Jordá, as well as Cruise’s sister Marian and one of his nieces.
What will Carmen Jordá do for Tom Cruise?
According to the magazine, the Spanish motorsport star has been signed by the American actor as a consultant for an undisclosed project, with no further details revealed about her specific role.
Following her experience as an ambassador for Fast & Furious 9 in 2021, Jordá may once again be connecting with the film industry.
Cruise’s dedication to his action films and his commitment to performing the most challenging stunts himself is well-known, making this potential collaboration a natural fit.
Who is Carmen Jordá?
Carmen Jordá, born on May 28, 1988, in Alcoy, Spain, is a name that often stirs debate in the motorsport community. Known for her role as a development driver with Lotus and Renault’s Formula 1 teams between 2015 and 2017, Jordá’s path in motorsport has been unusual. As the daughter of a former driver, she found her way onto the track early, working her way up through karting and then Spanish Formula 3. By 2007, she managed a respectable fourth place in the F3 Copa standings, though, after this, her competitive record became more erratic.
Why is Carmen Jordá’s Formula 1 role controversial?
Jordá’s big moment in motorsport came with her 2015 appointment as a development driver for Lotus’s F1 team, marking her as one of only 11 women to join an F1 driver lineup. But rather than competing in races, her role focused on the simulator, a move that immediately drew criticism from figures within the sport.
Former rally driver Michèle Mouton didn’t mince words, labeling Jordá’s role as a “marketing gimmick” and arguing that several more accomplished women drivers deserved the spot. Defending her position, F1 executive Bernie Ecclestone praised Jordá, saying she had the “dedication” the sport demands, but his support did little to quell the skepticism around her appointment.
While promoting her role with Lotus, Jordá made a bold suggestion: she advocated for a women-only F1 championship. Her stance was blunt – she didn’t think women could realistically compete against men for the top title, an opinion that didn’t sit well with other female drivers like Sophia Flörsch and Pippa Mann. Despite her insistence on a separate competition, many in the motorsport community felt her views undermined efforts to elevate female drivers within the existing F1 framework.
Carmen Jordá beyond F1
After F1, Jordá attempted to qualify for the newly launched W Series in 2019. However, she didn’t attend the necessary evaluation day, which resulted in her exclusion from the qualifying process. Still, her F1 connections paid off in one regard: she landed a spot on the FIA’s Women in Motorsport commission in 2017.
Despite her time in high-profile racing roles, Jordá’s competitive results remain sparse. With little in the way of track success, her motorsport career has drawn attention for its controversies more than its triumphs. Maybe Hollywood is the natural next step.