Eddie Jordan gave Michael Schumacher his F1 debut. Two weeks later, he’d lost him. Over one word. August 1991. Jordan, a brand-new team, had just lost one of its drivers to a jail sentence. Eddie needed a replacement for the Belgian Grand Prix, fast. He took a chance on a 22-year-old German sportscar driver. He later admitted he took him because he needed the money (Mercedes paid $150,000 for the seat). Schumacher qualified 7th on his debut, at a track he’d never driven. The whole paddock noticed. Eddie thought he had him secured. He’d agreed in principle with Mercedes, who backed Schumacher, to keep him for the rest of the season. But no contract was signed. The letter of intent said Schumacher would sign “a contract”, not “the contract”. His manager later said that one-word difference is the only reason he didn’t have to stay. Jordan went to court and lost. There was no contract to enforce. The fight got so messy that F1 changed its rules. From 1992, every driver contract had to be officially registered. By then, it was too late for Eddie. Schumacher had raced for Benetton in the next Grand Prix, and went on to win 91 races and 7 world titles. All because of the difference between “a” and “the”.