F1 legend Eddie Jordan stayed strong and full of hope, battling cancer with unwavering spirit until his final breath at 76.
Eddie Jordan held on to hope right until the end. The legendary former F1 team boss passed away at 76 in his home in Cape Town, leaving the motorsport world in shock.
His close friends in Formula 1 say he never stopped believing he could beat the illness.
“He stayed optimistic and involved with F1 until the very last moment,” said Ralf Schumacher, a longtime friend and former driver. “We talked on the phone just a few days ago about the latest tests. He was still so present, still hoping to pull through somehow. But in the end, he lost a lot of weight, and it was incredibly tough on him.”
F1 icon Bernie Ecclestone also paid tribute, calling Jordan one of a kind.
“I’m heartbroken. Eddie was truly exceptional. Tell me—who’s like him today? There’s no one. They don’t make people like Eddie anymore. Formula 1 will never replace him.”
Ecclestone recalled how Jordan had been battling prostate cancer for several months. “Two doctors gave him completely different diagnoses. One said it was serious, the other said it was gone. Sadly, we now know the truth.”
He also reflected on their unique friendship: “With Eddie, what you saw was what you got. We joked, we laughed—we trusted each other. Even when Benetton took Schumacher from him in ’92, we talked it out all night. He fought for his driver, but in the end, he took the deal with grace. Eddie always knew how to strike a deal—he’d charm a few dollars out of anyone.”
“I would’ve handed him a blank check. That’s how much I trusted him.”
Despite their bond, Ecclestone won’t be attending Jordan’s funeral. “I don’t go to funerals—not even my own, probably. Eddie wouldn’t come to mine either. That’s just how we were. And that’s okay.”
A few months ago, Jordan revealed he was fighting an aggressive form of prostate cancer that had spread throughout his body. German journalist Helmut Uhl, who regularly spoke with him, shared one of their final conversations.
“They’ve found another tumor on my upper spine,” Jordan had said. “I hope chemo can clear it. I still believe—maybe with the help of AI—there’s a chance.”
But he also admitted the reality was grim. “The older doctors have lost hope. But a younger one told me that with my energy, positivity, and fitness, I can beat this. He really believes we can stop it.”
Another journalist and friend, Ralf Bach, recalled how Jordan stayed connected through music and regular phone calls.
“He used to send me videos of his band, and we’d talk twice a week. Three weeks ago was the last time. His voice was weak, fragile. He blamed the chemo and said, ‘I can do this, everything will be fine.’”
“Now I know he was lying—to protect me. He knew. That was his way of saying goodbye. Now he’s probably up there, teaching the angels how to rock and roll.”
According to Schumacher, those close to Jordan had known about his illness for a while. “But when the moment came—thankfully his wife and friends were by his side—it still felt unreal. We had all hoped, truly believed, he’d find a way like he always did.”
“Eddie was full of life. Always moving, playing music, staying active. We never really thought he wouldn’t make it—because that wasn’t the Eddie we knew.”
Paying tribute to Eddie Jordan. @AstonMartinF1
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Eddie Jordan Fought Cancer With Grit Until The End
Eddie Jordan Fought Cancer With Grit Until The End
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