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.
Eddie Jordan with Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Jarno Trulli ahead of the 2000 Formula One season. Matthew Fearn / PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo
Matthew Fearn / PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo / PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo
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.
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“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.”
Damon Hill chats to Eddie Jordan at qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
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
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'He energised everyone he was near. It's a huge loss' - F1 legend Eddie Jordan dies aged 76
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.
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.
“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
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Eddie Jordan Motorsport RIP