F1 News
Schumacher mourns loss of Jordan: 'Bit of a rock star, always supportive'
Formula 1 fans had to wake up today to the sad news of Eddie Jordan passing away. Ralf Schumacher talked in lenght about the Irishman, who helped him and his brother Michael Schumacher in F1. The German talked about the relationship, Jordan's influence on his life, and the former team owner's passion for the sport.
"It is difficult, but first and foremost of course for the family," Ralf began to Sky Sports' Germany. "It was a very tough process and he had been ill for some time. But then when the moment is really there, and it happened last night - fortunately his wife and friends were there - it is of course terrible. We all hoped until the end that it would somehow work out, because he was a real 'bon vivant'. Always full of energy, he did a lot of sports, loved making music, and you really didn't believe until the last moment that he wouldn't make it."
The man who brought the Schumachers to F1
Jordan played a key role in the Schumacher brothers F1 career. "In fact, he opened the door to Formula 1 for both of us. In Michael's case, maybe a bit of luck also played a part, because that car was there and he could show his talent there. With me, it was something else again. I was with him for two years. Of course, we didn't always have good times, as it sometimes goes, and we had some arguments. But much more important is what came out of that, and that was ultimately a good and long friendship, especially in the last few years."
The German can only recall great moments with the Irishman, even as they had many debates working together. "I will never forget him saying: 'Forget Ron Dennis, come to me, here you are more at home anyway'. Of course, there were also many heated discussions, but we also laughed a lot. And then when he organised his music festivals, which sometimes you just had to attend, that was also really great," Schumacher recalls.
Moreover, Jordan also helped the driver in terms of his personal life. "He was a great support when I started my new relationship with Etienne, which, by the way, he also really appreciated. We spent a lot of time together in Africa, which was also really nice. He was not only a great driver, father and team boss, but also a really good person with his heart in the right place."
A rock star in Formula One
According to Schumacher, Jordan had a special personality, one that not really present on the grid nowadays. "He was a bit of the rock star of Formula 1. But it was also a bit of that time, with people like Flavio Briatore, who is thankfully back in Formula One. He was living life to the full and I think that also brought Formula 1 a lot and made it what it was. Today it's all a bit more sterile, in a different way. Although I have to say Zak Brown is also a very, very cool team boss."
Involved in the sport until the last moment
While Jordan battled with cancer, Schumacher explained that he still very much remained in touch with Formula 1 as well. "Yes, absolutely, until the last minute. We still talked about the tests and called a few days ago. He was always there and had high hopes that he would somehow make it. But he ended up losing a lot of weight and that was very tough on him," he concluded.
Last December, Jordan announced in the podcast he co-hosted with David Coulthard called 'Formula for Success' that he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of bladder and prostate cancer earlier that year. He was 76 years old.
This article was written in collaboration with Nicole Mulder
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