Eccentric F1 Team Boss Who Gave Michael Schumacher His Debut Dies Aged 76
Ex-Formula 1 team boss and the brains behind Michael Schumacher's 1991 F1 debut in Belgium, Eddie Jordan, has died aged 76. The team boss turned TV presenter revealed last year that he had been diagnosed with bladder and prostate cancer, which had spread to his spine and pelvis.
Jordan's family confirmed that the F1 star died on March 20 in Cape Town, South Africa, reports the Guardian. The Irishman's family said he "passed away peacefully with family by his side," in a statement shared with the site:
"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."
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Jordan didn't start his career in motorsport with the aim of becoming a TV pundit one day. Instead, he started racing karts in Ireland, and went on to win the Irish championship in 1971 -- his first entry into the series, reports the BBC.
After tasting the winners champagne, Jordan then worked through the ranks racing in Formula Ford in 1974 and Formula 3 a year later. After breaking his leg during a crash, the Irishman hung up his racing gloves for a few years, before making a comeback in Formula Atlantic and winning three races in 1977.
Greater on-track success wasn't Jordan's to chase, however, and he switched to team management, setting up his own racing outfit for the F3 and Formula 3000 championships. Over the years, he fielded drivers like Johnny Herbert and Jean Alesi in the junior categories.
Herbert and Alesi weren't the last big names to drive in Jordan's cars, and with the launch of Jordan Grand Prix in 1991 the Irishman made the step up to Formula 1. Over the course of 15 seasons, the team fielded an impressive roster of talent, as F1 explained:
Jordan famously gave Michael Schumacher his F1 debut during that '91 campaign, with many other big-name drivers – including the likes of Rubens Barrichello, Martin Brundle, Damon Hill and Jean Alesi – racing for the squad over the years.
The team picked up its first podium with Barrichello at the wheel in 1994 and scored its first victory at the 1998 Belgium Grand Prix. At its peak, Jordan placed third in the 1999 Formula 1 season with drivers Damon Hill and Heinz-Harald Frentzen.
Jordan ultimately sold his stake in the F1 team in 2005 after a decline in performance and sponsorship. It went through several name changes in the years since and formed the basis for the Aston Martin team that's on the grid today.
Following his departure from the sport, Jordan built a name for himself as an eccentric TV presenter. He regularly appeared on Formula 1 race weekend coverage as a pundit and even having a stint on the revived BBC show "Top Gear" after the departure of Jeremy Clarkson and co.
Jordan also served as manager for famed F1 designer Adrian Newey and was said to be instrumental in negotiating the deal that saw Newey leave Red Bull and join Aston Martin. Maybe that was one last effort to secure the legacy of the team he started in Formula 1?
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