Eddie Jordan: David Coulthard reacts to F1 legend and Formula For Success podcast co-host’s death
Former Formula 1 team owner Eddie Jordan died on Thursday at his home in Cape Town surrounded by his family after months of battling ‘aggressive’ bladder and prostate cancer
David Coulthard has paid tribute to “a force to be reckoned” with following the death of his friend Eddie Jordan. The former Formula 1 team owner’s family confirmed he died in the early hours of Thursday morning, at his home in Cape Town.
Jordan told fans last December that he was fighting bladder and prostate cancer which had spread to his spine and pelvis. He was speaking at the time on his Formula For Success podcast which he co-hosted with Coulthard, a 13-time F1 Grand Prix winner.
Jordan made his last public appearance on an episode of the podcast, released in February. Since then, Coulthard has been hosting solo and, on Thursday, took to social media to say a public goodbye to his great friend of many years.
The Scot wrote: “Eddie Jordan was a force to be reckoned with beyond what anyone could expect in Formula 1. He was a gift to Formula 1 and he was a gift to Ireland. You never knew quite where his madness would take you next, but you always got there with a smile on your face.
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“There will be endless people telling Eddie Jordan stories as long as there is still Formula 1 around. It has been an honour calling him a friend and all of our love to his family and his four children, Mikki, Zoe, Kyle and Zak.”
Coulthard was one of many within Formula 1 who paid tribute to Jordan following the news of his death. Another was 1996 champion Damon Hill, who two years later found himself racing for the Irishman’s team during what turned out to be the most successful period of Jordan Grand Prix’s existence.
Hill said: “Eddie was chaotic and a genius all at the same time. He had the energy of 100 men. He created so much joy and had a massive heart. There will only ever be one EJ. He left his mark on the sport. He came from nothing, he worked his way up by using his cunning and guile. And by his own admission, it wasn’t because of his good looks but because he was undeniable.
“He had a way of getting himself into your life. He was extraordinary and brilliant. He had a lovely family and he enriched life all around him. My heart goes out to them. The sport has lost a true legend and we have lost a true friend.”
Hill filled in for Jordan on the podcast and it was when he was asked to do so that he realised Jordan’s health may have taken a turn for the worse. He added: “I went to see Eddie in Chelsea before he left for South Africa and he knew he had a massive battle on his hands. But he never mentioned it, he wasn’t forlorn, yet it became clear that this would not be something he would overcome.
“It was as serious as it got and, when he invited us round, it was his way of saying goodbye. I was asked to stand in for him on his podcast with David in Australia last week, and you know when you aren’t well enough to present a podcast that it must be serious.”
