After the reliability failures of the Yamaha-powered 193's predecessor, Jordan switched to Brian Hart's independently built Hart 1035 V10, rated at approximately 700 bhp. While this was an improvement on the 660 bhp Yamaha unit, it remained well behind the approximately 780 bhp Renault V10 engines powering Williams and Ligier, and fell short of the 740 bhp Ferrari V12 as well. The engine was, however, broadly comparable to the Ford V8 units used by Benetton and McLaren.
Visually the 193 differed substantially from its predecessors, featuring a raised nose and a redesigned front wing — trends that were becoming standard across the field. Like most 1993 cars it incorporated traction control and a semi-automatic gearbox, the latter causing considerable difficulties early in the season by jamming in a single gear. The team temporarily reverted to a conventional manual gearbox until the semi-automatic was reliable enough to race. A short wheelbase caused rear-end instability for much of the year; Jordan lengthened it mid-season in an attempt to find additional speed. Despite ongoing aerodynamic and suspension revisions throughout the year, the car remained typically around three seconds per lap slower than the frontrunners and settled into consistent midfield performance.
Rubens Barrichello, only nineteen years old, drove in all sixteen races as the team's lead driver. The number 15 seat cycled through five different drivers across the season: Ivan Capelli, Thierry Boutsen, Marco Apicella, Emanuele Naspetti and Eddie Irvine. Of these, only Irvine could approach Barrichello's pace, while Boutsen — who contested the most races of the rotating second drivers — was frequently two seconds per lap slower.
The 193 settled into an established midfield band throughout 1993. Barrichello was on course for a potential podium finish at the rain-affected European Grand Prix at Donington Park, running third in the closing stages before a fuel pressure failure ended his race. The season's points breakthrough finally came at the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, where Barrichello and debutant Irvine finished fifth and sixth respectively to give Jordan three championship points.
Irvine's Japanese debut generated headlines beyond the points. Having been lapped by the leaders, he unlapped himself by passing race leader Ayrton Senna, a move the three-time World Champion regarded as a serious breach of unwritten racing protocol. Senna confronted and punched Irvine in the Jordan motorhome after the race, an incident that led to a fine for Senna and a one-race ban for Irvine, subsequently reduced on appeal.
Jordan finished equal tenth in the Constructors' Championship with three points.
Sasol continued as title sponsor for a second consecutive year. Barclay tobacco branding appeared on the car at most rounds, with the logos replaced by alternative imagery at the French, British, German and European Grands Prix in compliance with local advertising restrictions.
The 193 was replaced for 1994 by the Jordan 194. The season had nonetheless demonstrated Barrichello's raw pace, laying the foundation for a long and decorated Formula One career.