Former Formula One team owner and Dubliner Eddie Jordan has passed away at age 76 after a battle with an aggressive form of prostate cancer.
Born in 1948, Jordan was Ireland's most prolific and successful character on the F1 circuit and famously brought and managed his own independent team Jordan Grand Prix to Formula One in 1991, defying the odds to make them a competitive force in a decade.
After selling the team in 2005 Jordan went on to have a hugely successful career in media, becoming a pundit for both the BBC and Channel 4 before setting up his own podcast more recently. The motor racing legend also led a consortium takeover of London Irish in February and was hoping to reinvigorate life into the dormant English rugby side.
In a statement announcing his passing on Thursday morning, Jordan's family said: "It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Eddie Jordan OBE, the ex-Formula 1 team owner, TV pundit and entrepreneur."
"He passed away peacefully with family by his side in Cape Town in the early hours of 20 March 2025."
16 January 2000; Takefumi Hosaka, Managing Director, Honda, and Eddie Jordan, Chief Executive, Jordan Grand Prix, at the launch of Jordan Grand Prix's Honda powered EJ11 car at Silverstone Circuit in Towcester, England. Photo by Damien Eagers/Sportsfile
Tributes pour in for 'Rock Star' Eddie Jordan
Tributes to the former pundit have been flowing in in their hundreds since the news of his passing on Thursday morning.
Taking to social media, Sky Sports F1 reporter and former Jordan Grand Prix driver Martin Bundle paid a touching tribute to his former boss and mentor.
Posting a video of Jordan playing the drums and singing in the infectious manner he had become so famed for, Brundle called Eddie Jordan a 'rock star'.
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.
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. 🥲 pic.twitter.com/7yexhsxC0h
— Martin Brundle OBE (@MBrundleF1) March 20, 2025
Brundle was just one of the many drivers who donned the famous yellow overalls of Jordan's team, with the Dubliner famously giving Michael Schumacher his Formula One debut in 1991.
Among the hundreds of tributes flowing in on Thursday morning, Irish racing prospect Alex Dunne took to Instagram to pay tribute to an 'Irish Motorsport legend'.
Broadcaster Jake Humphrey also shared a video of Jordan still living life to the fullest - as he always had - on his last birthday, skiing down a mountain with a set of balloons in his old Jordan Grand Prix jacket.
EJ on a recent birthday. Ski-ing down a mountain, wearing his yellow Jordan GP jacket.
One of a kind in every respect… pic.twitter.com/Kj0XUaxXkL
— Jake Humphrey (@mrjakehumphrey) March 20, 2025
The touching memories are just some of the tributes, stories and memories of a flamboyant and visionary life which was lived to the fullest circulating on social media.
Of the most poignant was that of former World Champion Damon Hill who won Jordan's first race in 1998, he called his former boss's 'chaos' brilliant.
Still to this day, I have never seen a Grand Prix win celebrated with such joy by a team owner. #EddieJordan pic.twitter.com/Jco8e3wMxU
— Ste (@McLarenSte) March 20, 2025
RIP Eddie Jordan! Truly one of a kind 💚 🇮🇪 pic.twitter.com/Adrnf4lDqk
— Conor Moore (@ConorSketches) March 20, 2025
Jordan had detailed his health issues on his Formula For Success podcast in 2024, explaining to listeners that he had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer.
"Way back in March and April, I was diagnosed with bladder and prostate cancer."
"And then it spread into the spine and the pelvis, so it was quite aggressive. And we've all heard about our wonderful friend Sir Chris Hoy, who is an absolute megastar, and he [was] coming out and talking about illness such as like what I've got, but he's a far younger man."
