Eddie Jordan - An Independent Man

by Riccardo Monza on Oct 29th, 2010

To BBC TV viewers, Eddie Jordan has over the last year become a regular face to be seen during race weekends. Always one to voice his opinion, whether it's his prediction for a race winner, or which driver should be suspended for eating ice creams, Eddie Jordan loves his Formula 1 racing. In his autobiography "An Independent Man", he tells his story of how he entered F1's "Piranha Club" as a team boss, and survived more than the odd bite to come through still grinning.

Team management wasn't in fact Eddie's initial desire, -driving was. After trying out karting during a day off work, the sport grabbed him, and before he knew it, he was Ireland's Kart Champion! Moving up through Formula Ford, Formula Atlantic and Formula 3 during the 1970's, he quickly realised that he didn't have what it takes to get into and be successful in Formula 1, and so made a decision to vacate the cockpit and let someone else drive. Formula 3 management followed, which stretched to F3000 during the 1980's, before Jordan Grand Prix made it to the grid in 1991. Often perceived as F1's jokers (complete with bikini models posing round the pit), a Jordan car eventually won (with another right behind) in 1998, showing the world that they were on their day, serious contenders.

Through fifty chapters -e.g. "Michael who?" "Riding A Camel" "Shafted" "Flash Jordan" "Saying Goodbye",  we get an insight into Eddie's character. The ex-bank clerk and used car salesman from Ireland that turned into a large scale F1 wheeler-dealer; the music loving party socialite who enjoys a drink, and good craic (Irish for fun) with folk; and another side that helps out a charitable cause or two. All the notable moments of the Jordan GP team are thoroughly discussed; the move from F3000 into F1; the brief and difficult association with Michael Schumacher; the triumph of winning at Spa; and the spectacularly bright yellow cars with the "Hissing Sid" snake graphic on the nose.

Eddie has written the book without a sub-editor, so things are a little untidy occasionally but it doesn't really detract from what is on the whole, an enjoyable read. The 416 pages were written in 2007 -two years after wrapping up Jordan Grand Prix, so the whole episode was still quite fresh in EJ's mind, and giving him enough time to reflect whilst at his keyboard. There's 24 pages of photos included, showing a generally upbeat Eddie enjoying life.

If you are the kind of person who's fascinated by the nitty gritty of how deals are done, or how a chancer made the best of his opportunities that came along, you'll be engrossed in all of Eddie Jordan's ramblings. For some, be it his opinions, his manner or his wardrobe, Eddie's appeal falls short, but for many fans of motorsport, there's more than enough here to keep you enthralled -or as Eddie puts it -it's great craic!