The charismatic Irish businessman-turned-Formula One Jordan Grand Prix team owner and TV commentator dies of cancer.
Flamboyant former Formula One team owner Eddie Jordan has died aged 76 after battling an aggressive form of prostate cancer.
“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Eddie Jordan OBE, the ex-Formula 1 team owner, TV pundit and entrepreneur,” his family said in a statement on Thursday.
“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 Irishman revealed in December that he was suffering from bladder and prostate cancer, which had spread to his spine and pelvis.
The charismatic Jordan, who was a budding racer before turning his attention to team ownership, achieved rare success as an independent team owner in the fiercely competitive world of Formula One.
His team – Jordan Grand Prix – which made its debut in 1991, won four F1 races in 15 years in the sport, and he remained a prominent figure through his work as a TV pundit.
Motorsport’s governing body, the FIA, described Jordan as a “legend” of Formula One, saying on X that he had made an “invaluable contribution to global motor sport throughout his life”.
F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali, speaking before this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix, said he was “deeply saddened”.
“With his inexhaustible energy, he always knew how to make people smile, remaining genuine and brilliant at all times,” he said.
British driver Damon Hill led home Jordan’s best-ever result – a one-two finish at the 1998 Belgian Grand Prix.
Hill, who won a world championship title with Williams in 1996, told the BBC there would “never be anyone like Eddie Jordan”.
“He was gregarious, as you know. He was irreverent, he was crazy. I lived in Ireland when I raced with Eddie and I was privileged to have won a Grand Prix with Eddie and seen the effect – he influenced everyone.
“There isn’t a single person, in that era and since, who has not been positively impacted in some way by Eddie,” he said.
Jordan won further races with Heinz-Harald Frentzen in 1999, who briefly challenged for the F1 title.
The Irishman 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 during his career – an accomplishment only matched by Lewis Hamilton in 2020.
Jordan sold his F1 team in 2005, with Aston Martin being the latest iteration of the outfit.
As a young man, the Dublin-born Jordan tasted success in the Irish Kart Championship and raced in various categories, including Formula Ford, Formula 3 and Formula 2, as well as appearing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
He formed his own band, playing the drums, alongside other interests such as golf, cycling and the arts, and boasted a huge portfolio of business activities.
