.jpg)
Formula 1's Eddie Jordan dies aged 76
Jordan Grand Prix owner and TV pundit had been fighting prostate cancer Extravagent former Formula 1 team boss Eddie Jordan, whose eponymous outfit claimed four race wins during the 1990s, has died. He was 76. The Irishman, who had been battling prostate cancer, died in Cape Town on Thursday morning, according to a statement issued by his family. Born in Dublin, Jordan originally worked in banking and developed property interests, before entering the Irish Kart Championship in 1971. He reached Formula 2 as a driver, but would find most success as a team boss. Jordan founded his own team in 1979, running numerous future Grand Prix stars in the British junior ranks. Most notably in 1983, driver Martin Brundle battled for the British F3 title with Ayrton Senna. His squad them moved up to Formula 3000, claiming the 1989 title with Jean Alesi. Jordan’s small team entered Formula 1 in 1991, and despite a limited budget caused an immediate stir thanks to simple and effective 191 chassis designed by Gary Anderson. At a time when many smaller teams struggled simply to qualify for races, Jordan’s squad took a pair of fourth place finished with Andrea de Cesaris. Perhaps most notably, Jordan Grand Prix gave Michael Schumacher his F1 debut at the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix, when the future seven-time world champion stood in for Bertrand Gachot, who had been imprisioned for a CS gas attack on a taxi driver in London. It was a short-lived debut, with Schumacher’s clutch failing on the first lap. Before the next race, there was a legal battle between Jordan and Benetton, with Schumacher eventually signing with the latter squad that he would go on to claim two world titles with. A switch to Yamaha engines in 1992 set Jordan back, but the team firmly established itself, and a high-profile sponsorship deal with Benson & Hedges – accompanied by some bold liveries and Jordan’s flamboyant stunts – helped it become a mainstay on the grid capable of frequently troubling the top teams. In 1998 former world champion Damon Hill joined the squad and Jordan secured a supply of Mugen-Honda engines, and claimed its first win in torrential rain in the chaotic Belgian Grand Prix, leading home team-mate Ralf Schumacher. The following year Heinz-Harald Frentzen joined the squad, scoring two wins and claiming third in the drivers’ championship – with Jordan also third in the makes’ standings. That was the team’s high point, and it began to slip down the grid in subsequent years. There was one more against-the-odds win, with Giancarlo Fisichella triumphing in wet conditions in the 2003 Brazilian Grand Prix. Jordan sold his squad to the Midland Group ahead of the 2005 season, with the team going through various owners before its current incarnation as Aston Martin. It is still based at the old Jordan premises in Silverstone, although work is ongoing to expand the site massively. Jordan joined the BBC as an F1 pundit in 2009, later moving across to Channel 4’s coverage, gaining a reputation for breaking big news stories. He was also briefly a presenter for Top Gear. Away from motorsport, Jordan was a huge music fan, playing the drums and starting several of his own bands.
Jordan Grand Prix owner and TV pundit had been fighting prostate cancer
Extravagent former Formula 1 team boss Eddie Jordan, whose eponymous outfit claimed four race wins during the 1990s, has died. He was 76.
The Irishman, who had been battling prostate cancer, died in Cape Town on Thursday morning, according to a statement issued by his family.
Born in Dublin, Jordan originally worked in banking and developed property interests, before entering the Irish Kart Championship in 1971. He reached Formula 2 as a driver, but would find most success as a team boss.
Jordan founded his own team in 1979, running numerous future Grand Prix stars in the British junior ranks. Most notably in 1983, driver Martin Brundle battled for the British F3 title with Ayrton Senna. His squad them moved up to Formula 3000, claiming the 1989 title with Jean Alesi.
Jordan’s small team entered Formula 1 in 1991, and despite a limited budget caused an immediate stir thanks to simple and effective 191 chassis designed by Gary Anderson. At a time when many smaller teams struggled simply to qualify for races, Jordan’s squad took a pair of fourth place finished with Andrea de Cesaris.
Perhaps most notably, Jordan Grand Prix gave Michael Schumacher his F1 debut at the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix, when the future seven-time world champion stood in for Bertrand Gachot, who had been imprisioned for a CS gas attack on a taxi driver in London. It was a short-lived debut, with Schumacher’s clutch failing on the first lap. Before the next race, there was a legal battle between Jordan and Benetton, with Schumacher eventually signing with the latter squad that he would go on to claim two world titles with.
A switch to Yamaha engines in 1992 set Jordan back, but the team firmly established itself, and a high-profile sponsorship deal with Benson & Hedges – accompanied by some bold liveries and Jordan’s flamboyant stunts – helped it become a mainstay on the grid capable of frequently troubling the top teams.
In 1998 former world champion Damon Hill joined the squad and Jordan secured a supply of Mugen-Honda engines, and claimed its first win in torrential rain in the chaotic Belgian Grand Prix, leading home team-mate Ralf Schumacher.
The following year Heinz-Harald Frentzen joined the squad, scoring two wins and claiming third in the drivers’ championship – with Jordan also third in the makes’ standings.
That was the team’s high point, and it began to slip down the grid in subsequent years. There was one more against-the-odds win, with Giancarlo Fisichella triumphing in wet conditions in the 2003 Brazilian Grand Prix.
Jordan sold his squad to the Midland Group ahead of the 2005 season, with the team going through various owners before its current incarnation as Aston Martin. It is still based at the old Jordan premises in Silverstone, although work is ongoing to expand the site massively.
Jordan joined the BBC as an F1 pundit in 2009, later moving across to Channel 4’s coverage, gaining a reputation for breaking big news stories. He was also briefly a presenter for Top Gear.
Away from motorsport, Jordan was a huge music fan, playing the drums and starting several of his own bands.
