David Croft explains how Eddie Jordan broke the story of Lewis Hamilton joining Mercedes, ‘stuck to his guns…’

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Tributes are pouring in from the world of Formula 1 after the death of beloved former team owner Eddie Jordan.

Eddie Jordan was well known for not only his 15 seasons as the chief of the Jordan Grand Prix outfit but also his role as a pundit and broadcaster after selling the team to Midland in 2005.

Jordan was renounced for being a dealmaker in the paddock and always had his ear to the ground, knowing exactly what movements were going on up and down the grid.

Even more recently, Jordan played a role in Adrian Newey joining Aston Martin – who are several reincarnations were born from his original Grand Prix team.

He was constantly on the lookout for the next racing talent and Jordan sold Michael Schumacher to Benetton after just a single race in 1991.

One move that caught nearly everybody off guard was when Lewis Hamilton decided to switch McLaren for Mercedes ahead of the 2013 F1 season.

But not EJ as he was more commonly known, who knew from the start that the seven-time world champion was about to go and race for the Silver Arrows.

READ MORE: What Eddie Jordan said about Michael Schumacher before handing him his Formula 1 debut in 1991

How Eddie Jordan broke the story of Lewis Hamilton joining Mercedes

David Croft was speaking to Ted Kravitz on Ted’s Podbook and discussing Jordan’s life and career in Formula 1.

Croft was telling stories about his time working alongside Jordan at the BBC and said: “He was a very serious man when he wanted to be.

“Don’t forget, he broke the story that Lewis Hamilton was going to Mercedes.

“And everyone was like, ‘Are you serious? Come on! He’s not going to leave McLaren for Mercedes!’

“And he stuck to his guns on it because he knew he had the story on that. He was well connected, but he was well-loved and the paddock is a poorer place for EJ not being there.

“But he taught us well and we will continue to live life to the fullest because that’s what you should always do and that’s what he taught us to do.”

While working for BBC Sport in September 2012, Jordan said: “Hamilton and Mercedes have already agreed personal terms and a deal could be imminent.”

A McLaren spokesperson at the time responded to Jordan’s comment and explained: “We have been told by Lewis Hamilton’s management team [XIX Entertainment] [that] the story is untrue.”

However, Jordan was proved right with the deal announced just three weeks later.

READ MORE: The promise Lewis Hamilton made to Mercedes in 2012 that he has now fulfilled ahead of Ferrari move

The role Eddie Jordan played in Lewis Hamilton joining Mercedes

Jordan may have been able to break the story of Hamilton going to Mercedes because he played a role in the negotiations.

On the Formula For Success Podcast in December last year, he said: “Niki Lauda used to push me into McLaren to go and speak to Lewis, to do all the little messaging for him, because he couldn’t do it because of the connection [with Mercedes].

“He was so strongly involved with Mercedes.”

Jordan initially disagreed with Hamilton’s move to Ferrari believing that the team should have stood by Carlos Sainz.

He’d endured a tough 2024 campaign where he was regularly outqualified by George Russell and finished behind him in the drivers’ championship.

However, Jordan changed his mind on Hamilton’s Ferrari move before the start of the season and after playing a key role in the most important career decision he’s made so far, would only wish him well on his mission to win an eighth title.