Eddie Jordan’s top 10 moments in Formula 1 from discovering Michael Schumacher to winning his first Grand Prix

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Former Formula 1 team owner and renowned pundit Eddie Jordan has sadly passed away at the age of 76.

Eddie Jordan spent decades working in the F1 paddock running his team from the pit wall and then with a microphone in his hand talking about events on the track.

Jordan managed a team containing Martin Brundle in Formula Three among other rising stars before stepping up into F1.

Brundle has paid tribute to Jordan after working alongside each other and looking back, the Irishman provided some unbelievable moments during his 15 seasons in the sport.

1991 United States Grand Prix – Jordan’s first Formula 1 race

Jordan made their debut at the 1991 United States Grand Prix alongside 17 other constructors.

Bertrand Gachot made it through pre-qualifying and lined up 14th on the grid before being classified P10 in the race.

That would have been enough to score a point in the modern era but unfortunately meant Jordan missed out, however, it was a much more positive result than many other new outfits ever achieved in F1.

1991 Belgian Grand Prix – Michael Schumacher’s Formula 1 debut

Jordan ended up using five different drivers during their first season in Formula 1 but one stood head and shoulders above the rest.

Michael Schumacher made his debut for Jordan at the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix and managed to qualify in seventh – the best result any of his drivers achieved that year.

Although his debut came to an end on the first lap due to a clutch issue, Benetton immediately snapped him up and the rest is history.

1994 Pacific Grand Prix – Jordan’s first F1 podium

The Pacific Grand Prix no longer takes place on the F1 calendar but Jordan might wish that it did after Rubens Barrichello achieved the team’s first podium in Aida, Japan.

He finished behind Schumacher and Gerhard Berger and secured the team’s first top-three position in their 50th F1 race.

1994 Belgian Grand Prix – Jordan’s first pole position

Nine races after Jordan’s first podium, Barrichello showed his true one-lap pace by securing Jordan’s first pole position.

Heinz-Harald Frentzen was the only other driver to achieve this feat for Jordan but unfortunately, Barrichello couldn’t convert his front-row start into victory when he spun off on lap 19.

1997 F1 season – launching Giancarlo Fisichella and Ralf Schumacher’s F1 careers

Jordan had a reputation for giving young drivers a chance and in 1997 Giancarlo Fisichella and Ralf Schumacher started their first full seasons in F1.

Both drivers would go on to be race winners and helped the team secure a fifth-place finish in the constructors’ championship.

However, Jordan was furious that the two drivers ended their hopes of a double-podium in Belgium that year after colliding, with only the Italian ending up on the rostrum.

Signing Damon Hill – the first F1 champion to join Jordan

As Jordan’s reputation in Formula 1 continued to grow, the calibre of drivers they were able to attract improved.

Damon Hill came in from Arrows two years after winning his one and only drivers’ championship to replace Fisichella.

Jordan said Hill made some outrageous demands but helped the team improve even more during his two years in the car.

1998 Belgian Grand Prix – Jordan’s first Formula 1 victory

Hill’s contribution to Jordan paid off immediately and the team’s happiest hunting ground Spa was the venue of their first win.

The Brit led Ralf Schumacher home for a Jordan one-two and arguably the pinnacle of the team’s spell in the sport, even If the race started with the worst crash Murray Walker had ever seen.

In an interview after the race, via the BBC, Jordan: “I looked like a complete idiot.

“The euphoria, the excitement it just took over. It was a day I shall never, ever forget.

“There were so many things wrapped into those couple of hours – intrigue, tension, not believing it could happen”

1999 Formula 1 season – Jordan’s best constructors’ championship finish

At the end of 1998, Schumacher moved on to sign for Williams and Frentzen arrived in his place.

The German scored 54 points that year, finishing third in the drivers’ standings and helping Jordan place third behind Ferrari and McLaren in the constructors’ championship.

Hill only contributed seven points that year and was moved on for Jarno Trulli in 2000.

2003 Brazilian Grand Prix – Jordan’s final Formula 1 win

Jordan’s standing in the paddock started to slip towards the beginning of the 2000s with other teams on the grid able to invest far more money than the Irishman.

However, the 2003 Brazilian Grand Prix saw Fisichella secure a bizarre victory and Jordan’s final F1 win.

Kimi Raikkonen was initially handed the trophy but at the next race in Imola, he handed it over to the grateful Italian.

2004 Formula 1 season – Timo Glock’s Jordan debut

Jordan described Timo Glock’s debut as one of the highlights of his life and the German was the last driver introduced to the sport by his team that went on to have a successful career.

Glock is most famous for his role in Lewis Hamilton’s first championship win but had a very solid career in his own right.

Jordan eventually sold his team to the Midland Group in 2005 and they still exist on the grid today as Aston Martin.