LAST UPDATE | 20 Mar
EDDIE JORDAN HAS died at the age of 76.
The former Formula One team owner, who had spoken publicly of his cancer diagnosis, died peacefully in South Africa on Thursday morning.
“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Eddie Jordan OBE, the ex-Formula 1 team owner, TV pundit and entrepreneur,” a statement from the Jordan family said.
“He 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.
EJ brought an abundance of charisma, energy and Irish charm everywhere he went. We all have a huge hole missing without his presence. He will be missed by so many people, but he leaves us with tonnes of great memories to keep us smiling through our sorrow.
The Dubliner was one of the central figures in a golden era of Formula One in the 1990s and 2000s, founding his own team.
Jordan Grand Prix entered 250 races between 1991 and 2005, and won four times with Damon Hill leading home Jordan’s best-ever result – a one-two finish at the 1998 Belgian Grand Prix.
Jordan also handed Michael Schumacher his F1 debut at the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix, with the German going on to win a record-breaking seven world championships – an accomplishment only matched by Lewis Hamilton in 2020.
Jordan sold his F1 team in 2005, and returned to the paddock four years later as part of BBC’s coverage. He went on to work as a pundit for Channel 4 and briefly as a presenter of Top Gear.
Stefano Domenicali, CEO of the Formula One Group, led the tributes to a “genuine and brilliant” man.
“We are deeply saddened to hear about the sudden loss of Eddie Jordan,” Domenicali wrote.
With his inexhaustible energy he always knew how to make people smile, remaining genuine and brilliant at all times.
“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.”
Hill said he was “very sad and shocked” by news.
“We knew Eddie was fighting the disease and while we knew it was serious, we thought there might be a chance he would win, but sadly he has lost that,” Hill told the BBC.
“Eddie was a huge influence on me and many people in motorsport and around the world, there will never be another like him.”
He was gregarious, he was irreverent, he was crazy,” said Hill who used to play guitar alongside Jordan on the drums in the Irishman’s band which used to play the Sunday evening after the British Grand Prix.
“I lived in Ireland when I raced with Eddie, I was privileged to have won a grand prix with Eddie, to see the effect and he influenced everyone. There isn’t a single person, in that era and since, that has not been positively impacted in someway by Eddie.
“He gave a huge amount to charity, he never stopped, he energised everyone he was near. It’s a huge loss.”
Another former Jordan driver Martin Brundle posted on social media.
“RIP my friend. Condolences to each and every one of your lovely family. What a character. What a rock star. What a racer. So many drivers owe you so much, you gave us our chances and believed in us.”
Current Williams driver Carlos Sainz described Jordan as “a true icon and loved character of our sport”.
Red Bull principal Christian Horner recalled his first meeting with Jordan.
“Eddie was a hugely colourful character who I first met in 1991 as a young driver at his then new factory after his first year in Formula One,” he said.
“His advice: ‘get a good sponsor . . . welcome to the Piranha Club’.
“Formula One has lost a legend and we will miss his wit and his Irish charm.”
Others in the pit lane, who knew Jordan as much for his incisive television punditry on race weekends, also posted their tributes.
Former Benneton team principal Flavio Briatore said that Jordan “always brought a smile to the entire F1 paddock” while McLaren’s chief executive officer Zak Brown spoke of “a vibrant figure who always wore his heart on his sleeve”.
“His passion for Formula 1 was enormous and he leaves an incredible legacy,” Brown posted on X. “All of our thoughts are with his family and friends.”
– Additional reporting by Press Association and AFP
RIP Eddie thanks for giving us those years in the benson and hedges coloured F1 cars and that win in Belgium, great memories
@Roy Butler: bitten and hisses … Loved that.
What a charismatic person. All the top people in F1 in the 90′s and 00′s worked for him either on the way up or at their peak. He had a marvellous eye for talent. And not to forget. He gave a certain Ayrton Senna his first drive in an F3 in 1982.
RIP to a great Irish man. May he rest in peace.
Heartbroken to hear this, spent many Sundays in front of the tv cheering on the buzzin hornets, Belgium 98 will always be special, he always came across as a great character, rest in peace.
Ah no. RIP Eddie Jordan
Really sad news. May he RIP.
Spent my childhood wearing yellow and black Jordan merchandise
Can always remember Belgium 98
RIP to a true Irish legend
Formula 1 97, PlayStation 1.
“Im picking that that sexy yellow benson and hedges car!!”
“Why not the red fer…”
“I said give me the yellow one!”
RIP Eddie great memories!
I know nothing about that sport but was always excited by the bright yellow cars who you could pick out so easily and always watched and shouted them on because they were Irish, always craving to support something Irish on the world stage and he gave us that, RIP Eddie.
RIP Eddie, responsible for producing the wonderful 7up Jordan in that first year the discover Ireland sponsorship it was stunning,
Then getting up in the middle of the night to see Eddie Irvine unlaping himself in Japan to the bright yellow cars great times to be watching F1.
Always a pleasure to hear his commentary with genuine forthright views, I doubt we’ll see many like him again in F1
@Phill Brown: the Sasol sponsored Jordan 194. That was the start of the upward climb in the Constructors Championship with Rubens and Eddie Irvine
This one really hurt’s gave us great memoryies in the 90′s a legend in formula one lost a great irishman today rip
Rip. An Irish legend for sure
A great character Formula 1 desperately needed at the time, to inspire belief that the little guy could compete.
Spare a thought for those that love London Irish Rugby, who will be devastated that they guy driving the re-creation of the professional entity has passed…
RIP to a genuine legend