Formula 1 team owner and, in most recent years, TV commentator Eddie Jordan has died at the age of 76 after fighting an aggressive form of cancer. The family released the following statement 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,” the statement read. “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.
“He was working until the last, having communicated on St Patrick’s Day, about his ambitions for London Irish Rugby Football Club, of which he had recently become Patron.
“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 cheerful Irishman is remembered for many significant accomplishments as a racing driver, team owner, talent scout, and later on, an outspoken character on many of the sport’s issues and its protagonists. However, unlike other racing personalities who often comment on current events, Jordan’s feedback was never petulant or offensive.
He famously gave Michael Schumacher his chance to crack into F1 at the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix, and as they say, the rest was history for the German. It was a risky move for both parties at the time, as Jordan had just graduated as a team owner in British, European Formula 3, and International Formula 3000, into F1, where he worked with many eventual F1 stars in the lower categories, such as Stefan Johansson and Martin Brundle.
He was also into driver management through the late ’80s and into the ’90s, constantly moving chess pieces and negotiating contracts for fellow Irishman Eddie Irvine, Martin Donnely, and fan-favorite Jean Alesi. Most recently, he even acted as the manager and negotiator for legendary car designer Adrian Newey, as he cut ties with Red Bull.
One of Jordan’s career highlights was certainly owning his own F1 team, Jordan Grand Prix, through the 1990s and 2000s, but specifically, the few successful years he enjoyed under the Buzzin’ Hornets banner. Still considered one of the coolest-looking F1 cars ever, the Benson & Hedges-liveried cars were piloted by several great drivers, including Ralf Schumacher, Damon Hill, Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Takuma Sato, Jarno Trulli, and Giancarlo Fisichella. He sold the team in 2005, which over the years evolved into the current-day Aston Martin Racing.
In recent years, he had started a podcast called Formula for Success, where he and F1 veteran David Coulthard shared a treasure trove of stories about their years in the circus. I highly recommend checking it out if you haven’t.
Last December Jordan announced that he’d been battling a “quite aggressive” cancer that targeted “the bladder and prostate which spread to his spine and pelvis,” according to AP. For the following months after his diagnosis announcement, he often took the time to preach the message of health check-ups and the vital role they play in people’s lives.
Godspeed, EJ.
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