Following Eddie Jordan’s death at 76, tributes from all around the Formula One world poured in. The charismatic Irishman, renowned for his exuberant personality and passionate passion for racing, defeated all the odds to build and operate the Jordan Grand Prix team single-handedly. The team had amazing success under his leadership, with four Grand Prix victories. His record also includes securing a historic win for Damon Hill and giving Michael Schumacher his first Formula One chance.
Last year in December, Jordan announced he had been diagnosed with prostate and bladder cancer, which had escalated to the pelvis and spine. On Thursday morning, his family broke the sad news that he died peacefully at his Cape Town home.
“EJ brought a huge amount of charisma, energy, and Irish charm wherever he went,” his family said. “We all have a massive hole missing without him. He will be missed by so many individuals, but he leaves us with tonnes of brilliant memories to keep us smiling in our grief.”
Hill, who won Jordan’s first F1 victory at the Belgian Grand Prix in 1998, called him a legend.
Eddie was a mess and a genius at the same time. He had 100 men’s energy. He made so many people happy and he had a huge heart. There will only ever be one EJ,” he said. “He left his mark on the sport. He started from scratch, worked his way up by employing his guile and cunning. And, as he would admit himself, it wasn’t because he was good-looking but because he was irrefutable.”.
He had a knack of inserting himself into your life. He was exceptional and brilliant. He had a beautiful family and he made life better everywhere he was. My condolences to them. The sport has lost a legend and we have lost a friend.
Jordan was a force to be reckoned with in F1, recognizable for his relentless negotiating, biting sarcasm, and uncensored candor. He was a self-made individual who wouldn’t take kindly to intimidation by the mighty powers that ruled the sport. His team, established from scratch, climbed remarkable heights, even challenging championship places for its nine-year stint from 1991 to 2005.
Prior to his career as a team owner, Jordan was an actual racing driver himself, taking the Irish kart championship in his first ever attempt in 1971. A Formula 3 crash in 1976 saw him change direction, and by 1979, he had transitioned into managing teams. As the boss of Eddie Jordan Racing, the company flourished in Formula 3000 and Formula 3, developing future sensations like Damon Hill, Johnny Herbert, Jean Alesi, Eddie Irvine, and Martin Brundle.
By 1987, his workforce had expanded from 12 employees to 50 as Jordan prepared to take the leap into Formula One. With an unerring sense of talent, he hired engineer Gary Anderson to oversee the design of the team’s initial F1 car, the 191, a beautiful and competitive car that established the tone for Jordan’s aggressive and innovative style.
One of his most well-known signings was in 1991, when Schumacher signed up at a time when a seat came unexpectedly vacant before the Belgian Grand Prix. The young German’s remarkable qualifying session grabbed attention instantly, but his race was ended early by a mechanical issue. Jordan wanted to keep him on board, but Schumacher was quickly taken in by Benetton. The experience was a hard baptism into F1’s merciless world, as famously described by McLaren’s Ron Dennis, who reminded him, “Welcome to the Piranha Club.
In spite of setbacks, Jordan’s resolve never faltered. He landed a big sponsorship with Benson & Hedges in 1996 and enabled the team to make a big leap. In 1998, with a competitive Honda engine, an impressive driver line-up with Hill and Ralf Schumacher, and an extremely talented designer in Mike Gascoyne, Jordan finally clinched their maiden grand prix victory—a dramatic one-two finish on a rain-drenched Spa.
The following year was the team’s best season, with Heinz-Harald Frentzen taking two wins and helping Jordan to third in the constructors’ championship. However, financial struggles began to take their toll, and despite one final victory at the chaotic 2003 Brazilian Grand Prix, the team’s competitiveness declined.
Accepting the growing financial expectations of F1, Jordan sold his team to Midland in 2006 for $60 million, bringing an end to an era. The team went on to develop into Spyker, Force India, and Racing Point before becoming Aston Martin in 2021, from the same Silverstone base Jordan originally set up.
Formula One’s CEO, Stefano Domenicali, testified to Jordan’s massive contribution to the sport.
We are saddened to learn of the untimely passing of Eddie Jordan,” he said. “With his boundless energy, he always managed to put smiles on people’s faces, remaining true and fantastic all the while. Eddie has been a hero of an era of F1, and he will be sorely missed. In this time of grief, my thoughts and those of the entire Formula One community are with his family and loved ones.
Christian Horner, Red Bull’s team boss, who had sat down with Jordan in the past to discuss buying his team, also paid his respects.
“Sorry to hear Eddie Jordan has tragically passed away. Eddie was an enormously colourful guy whom I encountered for the first time in 1991 as a young driver at his new factory following his first year of Formula One racing. His tip: ‘Find a good sponsor … welcome to the Piranha Club,’ he remembered. “Formula One has lost an icon, and we will miss his humour and his Irish wit.”
The FIA, motorsport’s governing body, echoed these sentiments.
“Eddie Jordan was a Formula One legend. He made a priceless contribution to motor sport on the world scene during his lifetime,” their release stated. “Everyone at the FIA would like to offer their deepest sympathies to his family and friends at this extremely difficult moment. Eddie will forever be remembered as a wonderful sportsman and staunch ambassador for Formula One on and off the circuit.”
Jordan remained extremely active within the sport even after he had sold his team, coming onto television as an open and insightful commentator for Channel 4 and the BBC. He later became the manager of star designer Adrian Newey, helping to negotiate his transfer from Red Bull to Aston Martin—the team that had emerged from Jordan’s initial business.
Aside from the achievements of his team, Jordan has a profound impact on Formula One. He was a lively man who brought the paddock to life with enthusiasm, humor, and shrewd commercial sense. For many decades to come, the sport will be shaped by his legacy as a pioneering team owner, talent-spotter, and commentator. His death leaves an irreparable gap, but the stories and achievements he generated will make him impossible to forget.
