Revealed: Eddie Jordan’s special distinction with Toto Wolff, Christian Horner and more

David Coulthard is still “struggling to come to terms” with the sudden passing of his friend, F1 icon Eddie Jordan.

Coulthard firmly believes that there will never be an F1 team owner like Eddie Jordan ever again in the sport. In a touching reflection, Coulthard revealed that such was the respect for what Jordan did in Formula 1, he could call out the likes of Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, and ex-Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, without any threat of being blacklisted.

There is only one Eddie Jordan

On 20 March, Jordan passed away following his battle with prostate and bladder cancer. It was a bitter blow for the Formula 1 community, Jordan growing into one of its most beloved and respected stars. After seeing his popular Jordan Grand Prix team claim a total of four race wins, the Irishman transitioned into punditry work.

Until his passing, Jordan and David Coulthard – a winner of 13 grands prix – had tackled the latest Formula 1 talking points and shared tales of F1 past on their Formula For Success podcast. Jordan was never shy to share a hard-hitting opinion.

But, as Coulthard revealed, Jordan had that respect in the bank to be able to do that.

“Even today, I’m kind of struggling to come to terms with that he passed so quickly,” said Coulthard on the Indo Sport podcast.

“I obviously knew about the illness before he chose to share it on the show. And it all happened so quickly. And you know, I had such a belief that if anyone was going to beat it, or prolong his time here, it was going to be Eddie. But it shows what a cruel, cruel illness it is.

“And I got the chance to tell him, you know, just how much I loved and respected him, because most of the time I was telling him how much he annoyed me and frustrated me and, you know, you could never keep him on script. Which is brilliant, because then you got better material.

“And I was the straight guy, and very comfortable staying in lane. EJ didn’t understand what a lane was! But that made it so exciting, because you didn’t know where you were going in any conversation. And I don’t think he knew where he was going in any conversation.

“He was the life and soul of any environment, any party, and when he passed, the last of his kind, I think, has left us.

“I do not believe there will be an entrepreneurial Grand Prix team owner like Eddie ever again.

“I think the sport has changed in so many different ways now. He could call out Toto Wolff, Christian Horner, Stefano Domenicali, Guenther Steiner, when he was there, he could call them out, and they had nothing but either an answer for him or a nervous laugh.

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“Whereas any other individual within the Formula 1 community would call them out, they would put them on their list of, I’m not talking, tell the press officer they’re not talking to them. Just snub them, smother them. Do what people in positions of power can do when they don’t like the question.

“They couldn’t do it to Eddie, because there was always that understanding that he’d been there and done it in tougher times than they had.

“It’s not to take away from the incredible success of Toto, Christian and these guys. They’re inspirational leaders. But they hadn’t, literally, re-mortgaged the home, you know, sent the bailiffs around the back door, and done all of that to get to where they got to. Eddie was an incredible, incredible individual.”

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