Bernie Ecclestone explains why he will not be attending funeral of F1 legend Eddie Jordan

Bernie Ecclestone has paid an emotional tribute to the ‘special’ and ‘irreplaceable’ Eddie Jordan, but confirmed that he will not be in attendance at the F1 icon’s funeral.

A statement from Jordan’s family on Thursday morning announced that the 76-year-old had died peacefully in Cape Town, South Africa, following a battle with prostate and bladder cancer.

Jordan went public with his diagnosis in December, revealing at the time how the ‘aggressive’ cancer had spread to his spine and pelvis.

Messages of condolence and support have poured in from the world of Formula One and beyond for Jordan’s loved ones, with the Irishman widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of the sport.

The flamboyant Dubliner was the founder and owner of Jordan Grand Prix, which ran from 1991 to 2005, and later established himself as a familiar face to fans as a respected TV pundit on the BBC, Channel 4 and Sky Sports.

‘It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Eddie Jordan OBE, the ex-Formula 1 team owner, TV pundit and entrepreneur. He passed away peacefully with family by his side in Cape Town in the early hours of 20 March 2025,’ the statement read.

‘He was working until the last, having communicated on St Patrick’s Day about his ambitions for London Irish Rugby Football Club, of which he had recently become patron.

‘Eddie and Jordan Grand Prix were known for their rock and roll image, bringing a fun and exciting element to F1, as well as consistently performing above their weight.

‘Many successful F1 drivers owe their career breaks to Eddie, and world champions including Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill drove for him.

‘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.’

Ecclestone, who managed F1 for four decades until Liberty Media’s £6.4billion takeover in 2017, struck up a strong relationship with Jordan during their years together in the sport.

Reacting to the news, 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.’

Michael Schumacher made his F1 debut for Jordan in 1991 but joined rivals Benetton soon after, with Ecclestone playing an instrumental role in the move.

Ecclestone insists the pair remained ‘close in a strange way’, though has no plans to join those paying their respects at Jordan’s funeral.

‘With Eddie, you always knew where you stood. We could joke and laugh at each other,’ he added.

‘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.’

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