NASCAR has just confirmed the departure of Chase Elliott due to……….
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Over the succeeding years, Anderson rejoined, drivers came and went, there were fights over engine supply, and the money began to dry up. But there was one more win – for Fisichella in the chaotically wet Brazilian Grand Prix of 2003.
McLaren’s Kimi Raikkonen was declared the winner after a massive crash brought the race to a halt, but the officials had missed that Fischella had actually been leading at the crucial point – and the trophy was handed over at a ceremony at the following race in Imola.
Financial troubles worsened in 2004 and late in the year Ecclestone introduced Jordan to the Canadian businessman Alex Shnaider. Six weeks later, in January 2005, the team was sold for $60m.
The deal made Jordan secure for life, but on the day he signed it he was in tears in the office of commercial director Ian Phillips, who had been with the team from the start.
Four years later, Jordan was back on the scene as an outspoken television pundit for BBC Sport, after the corporation won back the rights to F1, and he developed a reputation for being involved in breaking big stories.
These included Michael Schumacher’s return to F1 with Mercedes in 2010, and that Lewis Hamilton was bound for the same team for 2013.
In truth, the Hamilton story was more collaborative than was admitted, to protect sources, and Jordan’s involvement was not as singular as was presented at the time.
He stayed on board as coverage switched to Channel 4 from 2016, albeit appearing with decreasing regularity. But, deal-maker as ever, Jordan was always working behind the scenes, and in 2024 he pulled his last master deal.
Now acting as the manager of his friend Adrian Newey, Jordan negotiated an exit from Red Bull for F1’s greatest ever designer, and a five-year deal with Aston Martin for a salary that could reach £30m with add-ons and bonuses.
The irony was unmissable – Aston Martin is the latest iteration of the team Jordan had founded. It had passed through various name changes and owners to end up with the Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll, who has built a new factory on the site Jordan had used since 1991.
Not long after the Newey deal was sealed, Jordan revealed in December 2024 that he was being treated for aggressive prostate cancer, though that did not stop him heading a consortium which bought London Irish rugby club in early 2025.
He is survived by his wife Marie, and their four children, Zoe, Miki, Zak and Kyle.
The decision led to a visit from an unhappy Michael Schumacher to tell Jordan he had been unfair not to let his brother race for the win – ironic, considering the German’s status as Ferrari’s number one.
For 1999, Ralf Schumacher was tempted away by Williams, and their driver Heinz-Harald Frentzen went the other way. It became Jordan’s most successful season.
As Hill faded into uncompetitiveness, Frentzen won two races and emerged as an unlikely title contender, but a bizarre retirement when leading the European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring ended their hopes.
The team had found a clever – and dubious – way to use anti-stall as launch control. But Frentzen forgot to turn off the system as he left the pits from his stop for fuel and tyres, and that triggered a safety system that cut the engine. Jordan were never to be so competitive again.
At a wet Belgian Grand Prix, after Michael Schumacher crashed out in his Ferrari after colliding with David Coulthard’s McLaren, the Jordan drivers found themselves running one-two, Hill in the lead. Jordan avoided a potential on-track drama by telling them to hold position, but created an off-track one.
For 1997, Jordan wanted Hill, after he was dumped by Williams despite winning the world title at the end of 1996. Hill demurred, and made the error of joining Arrows instead.
But he did sign for 1998, replacing Giancarlo Fisichella as the team-mate of Ralf Schumacher, younger brother of Michael, with whom Hill had fought tense title battles in 1994 and 1995.
Along with Hill, Jordan had also secured a supply of Mugen Honda engines, more powerful and reliable than the Peugeots, and the services of highly regarded designer Mike Gascoyne.
After a disappointing start, Anderson left mid-season, and the team began to gain in competitiveness.
Jordan earned himself a tidy packet by selling Irvine to Ferrari to join Schumacher at the end of 1995, and soon a series of dominoes started to fall that made Jordan major contenders for a while.
Jordan had taken works Peugeot engines for 1995 when they were cast off by McLaren after just one season. That helped them attract a major title sponsorship from tobacco company Benson & Hedges. Funding changed from being desperately sought to something that could be used for investment.
And Irvine’s lippy dismissiveness when confronted by Senna complaining about the incident after the race led the three-time champion to punch him.
In desperate need of a cash injection, Jordan switched from his off-the-shelf Cosworth engine to a factory deal with Yamaha for its V12 for 1992.
But the engine was heavy, thirsty and unreliable, and a difficult season followed before Jordan ditched the Yamaha for a privateer Hart engine.
Rubens Barrichello became a fixture in the cockpit, as the Brazilian brought a handy budget along with his obvious talent. For 1994, he was joined by Northern Ireland’s Irvine, who had made a headline-grabbing debut in Japan at the end of 1993.
Irvine’s outspoken, insouciant character fitted well with the team. In Suzuka, he had un-lapped himself on race leader Ayrton Senna’s McLaren while the pair battled HIll’s Williams in the wet.
The problem was, Jordan had not tied down Schumacher properly, and the rival Benetton team swooped, with a little help from Ecclestone – who knew about Jordan’s financial difficulties as they navigated their first season, and wanted this obvious new star in a more successful, stable and secure environment.
By the next race, the Italian Grand Prix, Schumacher was a Benetton driver. McLaren boss Ron Dennis sympathised, after a fashion, with Jordan, saying to him: “Welcome to the Piranha Club.” The phrase has entered the lexicon, so perfect is it in summing up the ruthlessness of the F1 business environment.
