Bernie Ecclestone led tributes to his ‘special’ friend Eddie Jordan, the Formula One legend who has died aged 76.
Jordan’s family announced his death occurred in the early hours of today at home in Cape Town, with his wife Marie and their children by his side after a long battle with cancer.
The ex-team boss struck up a close bond with the sport’s former ruler Ecclestone, who supported Jordan over his many decades in motor racing.
Speaking from Gstaad, Switzerland, Ecclestone told Mail Sport: ‘I am very, very sad because Eddie was a special guy. Tell me which team principal today is like him. You can’t give me one because there isn’t one. They don’t make them like that now. We will never replace him in Formula One.
‘He had been ill for some months. I last heard he was given two diagnoses by different doctors. One told him he was in trouble and another that all his problems had gone away. Now we know the answer, unfortunately.’
Ecclestone, 94, remained in contact with Jordan after they each stopped day-to-day involvement in F1.
Formula One legend Eddie Jordan has passed away aged 76 after losing his battle with cancer
Bernie Ecclestone paid tribute to his ‘special’ friend Jordan, who he worked alongside during their time in F1
Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher completed just one race for Jordan F1 before he was snatched away by Benetton and then Ferrari
Ecclestone said the pair shared a strange bond and the two kept close after their days in the sport
He added: ‘With Eddie, you always knew where you stood. We could joke and laugh at each other. We very were close in a strange way. We trusted each other.
‘We stole Schumacher from him, telling him Michael would be going to Benetton in 1992, and we discussed this through a whole night session. You learn a lot about people in circumstances like those. He was fighting to keep his driver but was happy if he got a few dollars in exchange for Michael going. Eddie was always looking for a few dollars in a completely nice way.
‘I would have given him an open cheque because I trusted him totally.
‘I won’t be going to his funeral. I don’t go to funerals. I may not go to mine. He certainly won’t go to mine. So, it’s all fair. It always was with Eddie.’