There was a ghostly silence in the motorsport world as the news of the passing of motorsport legend Eddie Jordan was announced by his family, as he lost his ongoing battle with aggressive prostate cancer on Thursday morning. The Jordan family announced the news of Eddie’s passing with the statement, “It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Eddie Jordan OBE, the ex-Formula 1 team owner, TV pundit and entrepreneur…He passed away peacefully with family by his side in Cape Town in the early hours of 20 March 2025.”

“Eddie was a huge influence on me and many people in motorsport and around the world. There will never be another like him,” said 1996 Formula 1 world champion, Damon Hill, who is just another name in the long list of world champions who were given the first chance, a list which is headed by none other than 7-time world champion Michael Schumacher, who was given his first taste of Formula 1 by Jordan, before he got poached by Benetton in Italy.

Who can forget that day back in 1998 at the Belgian Grand Prix of Eddie Jordan running and jumping around the paddock, absolutely ecstatic as Damon Hill scored the team’s first win and Ralf Schumacher finished 2nd to make it 1-2 for the team and sent Jordan over the edge and jumping around in joy, a sight never seen before in Formula 1 and never seen again as well.

Other than giving young guns a chance to prove themselves at the top of motorsports, Jordan was famous for the flair he brought to the F1 paddock, whether his ‘unique’ car presentations or his unfiltered opinions, Jordan brought a breath of fresh air to the world of Formula 1. Names like Michael Schumacher, the McLaren F1 team, the Mercedes team, Valtteri Bottas, and many more sent their wishes to the family. 

As he passed away at the age of 76, tributes have been pouring in from the world of motorsports, even driver and team-owner, Brad Keselowski mourned the passing of the legendary team owner, with a heartfelt message. 

“What a legend. Was thinking about him earlier this week, wondering how he did everything he did… certainly to the fullest #Godspeed,” Keselowski took to X (formerly Twitter) to mourn the passing of Eddie Jordan, someone Keselowski could take inspiration from, being an aspiring team owner himself.

In the world of motorsports which is dominated by corporations and legacy teams with pockets as deep as the ocean floor, Eddie Jordan, with his independent team was a force to be reckoned with. Never backing down from anyone or presenting his controversial opinion to everyone, Jordan brought the rock and roll flavor to the world of suits and ties.

Brad Keselowski has made himself a household name in NASCAR, not only as a driver but also as a team owner. His first foray into the world of being a team owner came back in 2007 when he founded Brad Keselowski Racing (BKR). BKR participated in the NASCAR Truck Series and became known for nurturing young talents, such as Tyler Reddick, Ryan Blaney, Ross Chastain, Chase Briscoe, and many more. And after a decade of racing, Keselowski decided to shut down the team in 2017.

Learning from failures, just like Jordan, Keselowski made a come back for his second act.

Can Keselowski Channel his Inner Jordan?

Brad Keselowski has made himself a household name in NASCAR, not only as a driver but also as a team owner. His first foray into the world of being a team owner came back in 2007 when he founded Brad Keselowski Racing (BKR). BKR participated in the NASCAR Truck Series and became known for nurturing young talents, such as Tyler Reddick, Ryan Blaney, Ross Chastain, Chase Briscoe, and many more. And after a decade of racing, Keselowski decided to shut down the team in 2017.

“There’s a little bit of the control freak that I think we all have where you’re like, Man, we were missing this one piece; I knew how to get it. Couldn’t do it because I didn’t have the, you know, authority and command authority to do it. So I like that part of being an owner. That excites me…[that] is my favorite part of being a team owner,” said Keselowski in an interview with Kelley Earnhardt on the Dale Earnhardt Jr. podcast, when asked about what was his favorite part about being a team owner.

In 2022, Keselowski started his second innings as a team owner, after becoming a co-owner of Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing, entering the NASCAR Cup Series as a driver and owner. As he tries his hand at being team owner for a second time and tries to build his brand, he could take some lessons from Jordan, his audacity, his charm, and the ability to lift those around him, making a backmarker team fight for wins and championships.

Only time will tell if Keselowski will channel his inner Jordan and write his name in the history books alongside Rick Hendrick, Joe Gibbs, and Roger Penske as NASCAR’s most successful team owners.