Sawt Falasteen - Hill leads tributes to 'irreverent, crazy' Eddie Jordan

The 76-year-old Irishman revealed in December he was suffering with bladder and prostate cancer which had spread to his spine and pelvis.

"We knew Eddie was fighting the disease and while we knew it was serious, we thought there might be a chance he would win, but sadly he has lost that," Hill told the BBC.

"Eddie was a huge influence on me and many people in motorsport and around the world, there will never be another like him."

Jordan ran his own team between 1991 and 2005 and handed Michael Schumacher his F1 debut.

It was Hill, however, who scored the first of the Jordan team's four Grand Prix victories when he led home teammate Ralf Schumacher in a memorable one-two in Belgium in 1998.

His influence, however, stretched all the way down the paddock.

"He was gregarious, he was irreverent, he was crazy," said Hill who used to play guitar alongside Jordan on the drums in the Irishman's band which used to play the Sunday evening after the British Grand Prix.

"I lived in Ireland when I raced with Eddie, I was privileged to have won a grand prix with Eddie, to see the effect and he influenced everyone. There isn't a single person, in that era and since, that has not been positively impacted in someway by Eddie.

"He gave a huge amount to charity, he never stopped, he energised everyone he was near. It's a huge loss."

- 'Rock star' -

Another former Jordan driver Martin Brundle posted on social media.

"RIP my friend. Condolences to each and every one of your lovely family. What a character. What a rock star. What a racer. So many drivers owe you so much, you gave us our chances and believed in us."

Current Williams driver Carlos Sainz described Jordan as "a true icon and loved character of our sport".

Red Bull principal Christian Horner recalled his first meeting with Jordan.

"Eddie was a hugely colourful character who I first met in 1991 as a young driver at his then new factory after his first year in Formula One," he said.

"His advice: 'get a good sponsor... welcome to the Piranha Club'.

"Formula One has lost a legend and we will miss his wit and his Irish charm."

Others in the pit lane, who knew Jordan as much for his incisive television punditry on race weekends, also posted their tributes.

Former Benneton team principal Flavio Briatore said that Jordan "always brought a smile to the entire F1 paddock" while McLaren's chief executive officer Zak Brown spoke of "a vibrant figure who always wore his heart on his sleeve".

"His passion for Formula 1 was enormous and he leaves an incredible legacy," Brown posted on X. "All of our thoughts are with his family and friends."

Stefano Domenicali, the CEO of Formula One, released a statement saying he was "deeply saddened to hear about the sudden loss" of the Irishman.

"With his inexhaustible energy he always knew how to make people smile, remaining genuine and brilliant at all times.

"Eddie has been a protagonist of an era of F1 and he will be deeply missed."

Z.Ramadan--SF-PST