Eddie Jordan, the founder of former Formula 1 team Jordan, has passed away a few days before his 77th birthday.
“Eddie passed away peacefully with family by his side in Cape Town in the early hours of 20th March 2025 at the age of 76, after battling with an aggressive form of prostate cancer for the past 12 months,” said his family in a statement.Besides running his F1 team, which competed between 1991 and 2005, Jordan was a driver himself earlier in his career, then moved into broadcasting and management. He negotiated on behalf of Adrian Newey last year when the star designer left Red Bull to join Aston Martin.
Jordan’s team won four grands prix in 250 starts before he sold it to Midland Group in 2005. During their first season in F1 he gave future seven-times world champion Michael Schumacher his grand prix debut, but the star rookie was immediately poached by rivals Benetton, to Jordan’s fury.
Jake Humphrey, who worked with Jordan on BBC’s Formula 1 broadcasts in the 2010s, said in a social media post he was “utterly devastated” by the news.
“Formula 1 won’t see the likes of Eddie ever again where a guy with a love for racing can hustle his way into the sport and end up winning races,” he said.
“More important than race wins, though, he won hearts. I will never forget how his face would always light up whenever he saw a Jordan GP jacket, flag or cap… as we travelled the world together years after the team had been sold.
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“His greatest achievements were Mikki, Zoe, Kyle and Zak. His incredible four kids who share his spirit. His wife Marie is one of the strongest, most wonderful women I have ever met.”
Jordan was diagnosed with bladder and prostate cancer 12 months ago. “It spread into the spine and the pelvis so it was quite aggressive,” he revealed in the Formula For Success podcast he co-hosted with ex-Formula 1 driver David Coulthard.
After revealing his diagnosis last year, Jordan encouraged listeners not to “put off” checking any possible cancer signs.
“Go and get tested,” he said. “Because in life, you’ve got chances, and there is so much medical advice out there and so many things that you can do to extend your time. Go and do it. Don’t be stupid, don’t be shy – it’s not a shy thing – look after your body, guys.”
“Eddie lit up a room whenever he entered it,” Humphrey continued. “That is a lesson for us all – be the light in the room.
“I was lucky enough to share one final, cherished meal with him and his boys a few months ago. It was special. We talked about me doing one final interview with him. Sadly that will never happen.
“As I left his final words were ‘I love you brother’.”
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F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said the series is “deeply saddened to hear about the sudden loss of Eddie Jordan.”
“With his inexhaustible energy he always knew how to make people smile, remaining genuine and brilliant at all times,” said Domenicali in a statement. “Eddie has been a protagonist of an era of F1 and he will be deeply missed. In this moment of sorrow, my thoughts and those of the entire Formula 1 family are with his family and loved ones.”
Jordan’s team exchanged hands several times in the years after it was sold. Today the Silverstone-based squad competes as Aston Martin.
Its team principal Andy Cowell said: “Eddie Jordan was one of the all-time motorsport greats. He was a one-off, a wonderful human being, and a charismatic leader who founded this team and took it to F1 in 1991.
“His vision laid the foundations for us and he leaves a lasting legacy for the entire motorsport community. Today we pay tribute to a legend of the sport and our thoughts are with his family, friends, and colleagues.”
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MichaelN
20th March 2025, 9:05
That’s sad. Jordan ran a fun team around in the late 90s and early 2000s, bringing some much needed spunk to F1. That 1999 campaign by Frentzen was great. His chats with Coulthard in recent years, over on on YouTube, were also a good listen.
BasCB (@bascb)
20th March 2025, 9:06
Wow, he was on interviews only a few months ago talking about F1 etc. Thank you Eddie Jordan for everything you gave to the world and to the sport. Rest in Peace.
BasCB (@bascb)
20th March 2025, 9:09
Oh, and yes, definitely get checked on those things guys. Those cancers are nasty.
Scalextric (@scalextric)
20th March 2025, 14:09
This. I help make cancer drugs and you don’t want to ever have to use them. Early detection is key to you never needing them. Just had a thing removed myself last month after a checkup.
Treatments keep getting better but this shows they’re still not good enough. Back to work. RIP Eddie.
David Townrow
20th March 2025, 9:07
RIP in peace Eddie GGGRRRrrrrrrrrrrr will be missed 😢
GeeMac (@geemac)
20th March 2025, 9:10
RIP Eddie, thank you so much for all the amazing memories.
MV
20th March 2025, 9:15
A man with a great character, never afraid to speak his mind and funny too. He will be missded, rest in peace Eddie!
Sham (@sham)
20th March 2025, 9:16
One of the old fashioned team owners who did it purely for the love of it.
You will be missed, Eddie. Rest in Peace.
MG1982 (@mg1982)
20th March 2025, 9:19
Sad news. RIP Eddie Jordan. Some months ago I saw him on YT talking with D.Coulthard about F1.
Red Andy (@red-andy)
20th March 2025, 9:21
One of the last of the true privateers. A very sad day for F1 and the wider motorsport world. Farewell, Eddie, and thank you.
Ren
20th March 2025, 10:21
A true diamond in the rough. A unique person who said things exactly how he saw it. He touched so many people in racing and left a fantastic legacy. My heart goes out to his family and close friends.
Rest well Eddie
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
20th March 2025, 9:22
Oh man, that’s so sad. The yellow cars were my favourite growing up. And he was quite a character as well. RIP Eddie. You’ll be missed.
Jonathan Parkin
20th March 2025, 13:36
They were my favourite growing up too. I actually still have a Damon Hill car from 1998, the same car that won his last race at Spa in 1998 – still my all time favourite (tied with Monaco 96)
1999 was my favourite year of F1 racing too (its now 2009), watching HHF duelling with the McLarens and the Ferrari’s and Ralf Schumacher
Ideals (@ideals)
20th March 2025, 9:27
My favourite team and team boss of all time. A true legend, RIP.
bernasaurus (@bernasaurus)
20th March 2025, 9:29
I wish he could read these comments. He added so much colour and cheekiness, especially in the ‘manufacturer era’. Some people are good at what they do, and Eddie seemed like someone who was good and enjoyed what they do.
The 191, Schumacher, 1-2 at Spa, for a scrappy underdog there were certainly plenty of pretty moments.
Cheers Eddie.
bernasaurus (@bernasaurus)
20th March 2025, 9:45
All the thousands of yellow DHL planes, vans, trucks all over the world, just because Eddie had a pre-existing tobacco sponsor, points to someone who knew how to talk to a room. I can’t look at a DHL anything without thinking of how well that meeting went for Eddie. I think they paid him royalties also.
He’d have made a good lawyer, just with a worse wig.
kuvemar
20th March 2025, 10:59
It’s a nice story but it’s also a bit of an urban legend. Jordan was sponsored by Deutsche Post from 1999 and by DHL from 2002. Deutsche Post has always been yellow, their cars, trucks, shops and offices … and DHL took over DP from 2002, which is a) why they changed their color and b) why they even sponsored Jordan in the first place.
kuvemar
20th March 2025, 11:01
bernasaurus (@bernasaurus)
20th March 2025, 11:23
Ahhhh…. it seemed too good to be true. I don’t begrudge Eddie for spinning a bit of a yarn. Thanks kuvemar
XM (@xmf1)
21st March 2025, 0:24
I love that EJ also perpetuated this story until it’s almost believable hahah, classic Eddie
Yes (@come-on-kubica)
20th March 2025, 9:36
Crazy crazy enthusiasm, penchant for controversy but very unique and brought a true spirit of racing to F1. Jordan F1 team is not possible to exist anymore but it was amazing at the time what they achieved.
RIP Eddie one of kind.
Roth Man (@rdotquestionmark)
20th March 2025, 9:39
Really deeply shocked and saddened by this news. I’ve loved listening to Formula For Success and the old stories and characters. The greatest advice ever from Eddie on there “Don’t let the old man in” you truly didn’t Eddie, lived every day to the full.
Thanks for the memories, notably Spa 98, Magny Cours 99, all of those fantastic liveries and the great wisdom more recently through the podcast.
Sleep well Eddie…… GGGGRRRRRRRRRRR
Leo B
20th March 2025, 9:45
He had a good life, that’s certainly true.
Jere (@jerejj)
20th March 2025, 10:03
RIP & my condolences to his loved ones, & I’ll also miss his personality.
John Beak (@johnbeak)
20th March 2025, 10:18
Eddie’s unrehearsed celebration of the Spa 1998 double always brings a smile. His character will be missed.
So will the occasional insightful comments he was able to make thanks to deep connections to key people in F1.
some racing fan
20th March 2025, 10:19
One of the great characters in F1 history. RIP Eddie.
Tifoso1989 (@tifoso1989)
20th March 2025, 10:24
Such sad news. A truly colorful and unforgettable figure in the sport.. His courage in the face of terminal cancer was nothing short of inspiring. He continued to fulfill his duties even in his final months. Even more admirable was how he used his own battle to raise awareness when he made it public about 3 months ago, urging men to get tested earlier. A legacy that extends far beyond racing. RIP Eddie.
Crawliin-from-the-wreckage- Special Unhinged Edition (@davedai)
20th March 2025, 13:18
He sure did. Some life lessons for others along the way.
Fought all the way to the final chequered flag.
I say, if I may, tell someone you love or care for them often. Never know what life has in store.
Biggsy
20th March 2025, 10:26
RIP Eddie.
The late 90s Jordans were quite possibly the best looking F1 cars ever.
Ren
20th March 2025, 10:26
A true diamond in the rough. A unique person who said things exactly how he saw it. He touched so many people in racing and left a fantastic legacy. My heart goes out to his family and close friends.
Rest well Eddie
Paul (@frankjaeger)
20th March 2025, 10:45
Rest in peace Eddie.
bsanderson (@bsanderson)
20th March 2025, 11:13
RIP, Eddie. One of F1’s great characters. Condolences to his family.
Esmiz (@esmiz)
20th March 2025, 11:14
Sad news. RIP
Phil Norman (@phil-f1-21)
20th March 2025, 11:32
One of the great characters of F1. The type of independent privateer that we won’t ever see again. He achieved so much with often limited resources. I admire him for situations such as where he gave Damon Hill a drive after he was brutally dumped by Williams.
He was funny, calculating and mischievous. He always provided an interesting analysis of events which most of the time was very insightful but he was also quite opinionated and a bit naughty. He contributed so much to make F1 more interesting. RIP Eddie!
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
20th March 2025, 11:36
Sad to hear, and also enlightens how bad some types of cancers are, it doesn’t feel that long that he said about his diagnosis, and so it’s actually shockingly soon for this news.
I also liked the jordan cars, with 1999 being an unusually competitive season, they were the 3rd strongest team, and ofc discovering schumacher was always a special achievement for him.
An Sionnach
20th March 2025, 12:04
Oh, no! Sad news. He was certainly a character.
Davethechicken
20th March 2025, 13:20
So long EJ, as a young man the arrival of Jordan into F1 was truly exciting, an Irishman breaking into the F1 world, Gary Anderson designing the 191, Donnelly and Irvine to follow as drivers.
Great times
Eddie will be sorely missed.
MacLeod (@macleod)
20th March 2025, 13:34
Rest in Peace Eddie you was for certain the character of F1, my condolences to his family!
Snowy (@snowy666)
20th March 2025, 13:48
RIP Eddie, you were one of a kind.
Urvaksh (@thedoctor03)
20th March 2025, 13:52
RIP Eddie Jordan.
bull mello (@bullmello)
20th March 2025, 15:23
Eddie made life more interesting!
Many thanks.
vaya con dios Eddie…
Patrick (@anunaki)
20th March 2025, 16:30
He was quite a guy. I can still see him dancing when they won at Spa.
RBAlonso (@rbalonso)
20th March 2025, 19:24
I loved Eddie Jordan – a proper character that was perfect for the mid 90s independent.
Fitting Jordan’s last entry was China 20 years ago. RIP Eddie, the world is poorer without you in it.
Riker (@corsair)
20th March 2025, 20:12
So sad. He’ll be greatly missed.
Sridhar
21st March 2025, 4:21
Not many would remember he put India on the map of F1 by giving Narain Karthikeyan his first drive in F1. The results may not have turned to his liking but he created a base for F1 fanatics ( yes that was the old name for this site) like me and for future generations.
Truly Eddie was an iconic team owner and pundit. You will be missed on the paddock.