RIP Eddie Jordan .:. Thanks For Being an Inspiration to Many!
Today is a sad day for the motorsport industry and fans all around the globe... Edmund Patrick Jordan (30 March 1948 – 20 March 2025), better known as Eddie Jordan has left us... He was one of the legends in different motorsport categories, as a driver, as a team owner, and close to the end of his life, as a TV commentator of Formula 1 races... As a big Formula 1 fan, I have to admit that I was never "directly" cheering for his team, but I remember well some of the great drivers that were driving for him that I liked a lot!
He was an underdog in the Formula 1 championship and just to dare come into that huge, expensive motorsport, with your private team, was something to admire and respect! Great charisma, almost always smiling, even in the worst possible situations, joking, but still, being a successful team owner in the "shark tank" called Formula 1...
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This sad news reminded me of great times that I had while I was following Formula 1 very, very closely, and I would like to share that story with you... I suppose nobody is aware of that side, so it could be interesting and also, it could be a nice story to read about in the future...
My first memories of Formula 1 date from the early 90ies, with drivers like Nigel Mansell, Ayrton Senna, Riccardo Patrese, and Michael Schumacher...
Speaking of those years, Eddie Jordan joined the Big Circus in 1991 with his 7Up team, and he was the first person who gave a debut seat to, now legendary, Michael Schumacher! During the next seasons, Eddie was the guy who was "discovering" all these new talents among youngsters, and many made their debut in Jordan's team!
In those years, I was in my teenage and somehow, in one motorsport magazine, I found the mail addresses of most of the F1 teams from those days... I wrote a letter to ALL, and mailed them! To my surprise, at the beginning of the season, I received packages from four teams, if I remember well... It was Ferrari, McLaren, Sauber, and Jordan! Oh, man... postcards with photos of cars and drivers with their autographs, big banners that were "decorating" my teen bedroom...
But, my F1 journey "for real" began with the 1994 season, when I followed all races, practice sessions, testing sessions, and qualifying sessions... Somewhere in those days, I got my first modem, and I was able to go "online", connecting with BBS (bulletin board system), and soon after that, to THE INTERNET! 😃 Not too long after that, I created my first website (It was on Blogger.com), then the second, and then my first Formula1 website!!!
My involvement in Formula 1 didn't stop there... At the end of 1994 (I was 16), I got my first "work gig" in my life, writing for a car magazine where I had 2 whole pages to fill with stories and news about Formula 1 and motorsport in general... In my country, there were only 2 more car magazines, and I was happy to take part in the third one! The magazine was going out monthly, but after 2 years of existence, it was closed down... The lack of advertisers and the bad economic situation in the country put the last nail in the coffin...
That didn't stop me from continuing my online project of running a motorsport website... I have moved it from Blogger to "official domain" and the GrandPrix.co.yu website was born! I sucked at design (and still suck) so the website looked ugly... As a matter of fact, I'm happy that I didn't find the first version on web.archive.org... 😀
Screenshot from web.archive.org
That was maybe the second version, where I added a forum to the website, which was a big game-changer for the rest of the journey! Through the forum, I met some awesome people, and we even got together a couple of times to watch F1 races in the Sport Caffe in Belgrade! (now you understand my obsession with meetups 😂)... More and more people wanted to join the project and help out, which was great to see... That's how we raised the quality level of the website, and that's how it got a new look!
Screenshot from web.archive.org
It had this look from 2002-2004, and as you can see, with the help of others, the website was following not only Formula 1 but also MotoGP, Cart (American version of F1 🙂), and later on, WRC (World Rallye Championship)... Besides that, we had a chat section, forum, and also a monthly PDF Magazine that you could download and read offline!
Screenshot from web.archive.org
In the F1 section, we had fresh news (almost daily!), results, drivers and team standings, and calendar, but also some history details about tracks, teams, and the F1 "time-machine" where we would publish content about some legendary races, or such... The special sections were reserved for photos... And here, I have to go back to Eddie Jordan, as among the merch that I got, and all the publicity that he did around his team, he knew how to attract more eyeballs to his team... How? Pretty girls! He didn't invent "F1 Babes", but girls that were in their paddock were probably the reason why that yellow Jordan was so popular despite not winning races... 😃 Thanks, Eddie!
Screenshot from web.archive.org
Unfortunately, in 2004, we had issues with our hosting provider, many people from the team left, and again the same issue as with the magazine, lack of advertisers put the end of the GrandPrix.co.yu story... The forum lived a few years more and I had contact with many people there, but the website itself was never launched again... It's a pity, as maybe 2-3 years after that, the situation in the country changed, the car industry resurrected, and it was much easier to find advertisers... But, the moment was gone, and it looked like we were too early...
For the end, I would like to share the screenshot of the people involved in this project when it was at its peak!
Screenshot from web.archive.org
Some of them are still in the motorsport industry as TV commentators, radio hosts, journalists, or crypto enthusiasts... 😃 That was probably the best time of my life, not because I was young (maybe that too 😃), but also because the small idea of a website gathered so many amazing people around that MADE CHANGE in lives of many... In the view of motorsport, but also, adding the human touch to it, as all of them were amazing people first, and then, good journalists!
And to close this post... Thanks, Eddie for all those years in my life, and the life of other motor racing fans that you made better... Showing by example how an underdog can WIN races in the biggest motor racing competition in the world! 🙏
EDIT: You can check out a short YT video about Eddie on this link... (embed doesn't work outside YT)
Thank you for your time,
--ph--
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Greetings, friend. I'm not a big fan of Formula 1, and what you're sharing with us is incredible, as is the way you describe every detail. When a person does things right, they will always leave a mark and be remembered. It's also great to be there for projects like this, which will always be remembered.
Thank you very much for your kind words! I suppose that the whole point is to do a job that you like and that inspires you... When you are doing it, you can write or talk about it for days, showing passion for what you are doing...
All the rest is just a bonus... the effects and marks that it leaves on others and their lives...
That is why we are here in this great world.
I don't watch much of F1, but it sounds like a memorable experience for you. I am glad that you had something you enjoy that much, and its sad to see someone like Eddie pass away.
It was a memorable experience for sure... One of my first "jobs" and passions that I had... It's always sad to hear news about people that left marks on us, but that's the circle of life...
I had no idea that you were so extensively involved with F1 racing. I didn't become a fan until during the pandemic but now I watch every practice and race and can't get enough!
Hehehe... I know that you are a big fan of McLaren and Lando... 😃
I used to follow F1 and remember those times, including him and all those mentioned. R.I.P.
Michael Schumacher is not in good health either...
Yeah, after that skiing accident, he never recovered... I wasn't his fan ever, but I do respect his achievements!
Formula 1 was also a passion for me when I was a teenager, although I haven't seen a race for years. I learn about this through your publication, I see that it is a very special part of your life. Sorry I am replying so late brother, I have been sick just since Thursday 🙏🏽
I have to admit that I don't watch races either... But, I do follow race highlights videos on YouTube... 😃
Oh... I hope you are getting better. 💪
Greetings @ph1102, beautiful tribute to Mr. Eddie QEPD, he did a great job that insipiro to yours through your pages and blog, you also achieved a lot in those projects, what a nice memory. S
Thanks! I suppose that his involvement in F1 as an underdog can serve us in out crypto journey on HIVE too... We are underdogs in modern society... Pioneers...
I've been a casual fan of F1 for years and Eddie was a fun character on that scene. He was part of the BBC presenting team for years. I was sad to hear of his passing.
He had that "something", call it mojo, vibe, or simply charisma... But, running a private team in F1 is a huge challenge... And he did that, with a smile, and always a positive attitude... He was my favorite team owner (CEO, or whatever it's called)...
I didn't know about him, RIP...
He was an interesting guy, and underdog in F1... And people like that type of person...
RIP
i never liked formula1, my father used to watch it and i always found it boring, but it's subjective... that was a good site to be 2002 tough
Yeah, I understand your point of view as all my family and most friends found F1 boring, as they are "only running in circles"... 😃
But because Moto GP, speed² 🙂
In my opinion, much more interesting, dynamic, risky, crazier, especially Rossi's time.
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Yeah but everyone has his own preferences like everything in life, there's who likes classic music, who likes trap 🤣
Wow you have a good experience on the fast lane that's awesome! Rest in peace Eddie!
RIP Eddie! Another legend that left us, but will not be forgotten! 💜
https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/comments/1jjyxxl/eddie_jordan_thanks_for_being_an_inspiration_to/
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