The Unconventional Journey of Eddie Jordan Racing in Formula 1

Step back to April 1988, and you’ll find a triumphant image of Johnny Herbert crossing the finishing line at Jerez, driving Reynard 88D for Eddie Jordan Racing (EJR). Despite the car’s almost complete white exterior, bearing only Camel stickers and decals, Camel wasn’t even an EJR sponsor at that time.

The Genesis of a Controversial Partnership

Eddie Jordan, known for his persuasive charm and commercial acumen, borrowed Camel stickers from the Italian First Racing team and managed to secure the cover of Autosport magazine. Leveraging this publicity, he approached Camel’s sponsorship director, Duncan Lee, offering a promising alternative to their current partnership with Lotus.

In Formula 1, Camel was already sponsoring Lotus, which had recently lost Ayrton Senna to McLaren. The replacement driver, Nelson Piquet, had a lackluster performance in the season-opening Brazilian Grand Prix, providing an opportune moment for Eddie to offer an alternative. True to form, Camel’s F3000 car was painted yellow and adorned with large paid-for decals for the next race at Vallelunga.

The Unconventional Path to Formula 1

Eddie Jordan Racing Benetton Junior Team was a misnomer, as Johnny Herbert had tested a Benetton F1 car and been offered a race seat by team manager Peter Collins, only for the offer to be vetoed by the Benetton family. To make the arrangement seem more connected than it was, Johnny raced in a green Benetton Formula suit.

Since the world championship began in 1950, Formula 1 has been a magnet for rogues and charlatans. Eddie Jordan, while not a crook, was known for his blarney and ability to play the game of smoke and mirrors. Despite this, he managed to succeed where many others had failed, leaving minimal collateral damage in his wake.

The Camel F3000 Deal: A Masterclass in Opportunity Seizing

The Camel F3000 deal was a prime example of Eddie’s ability to convert a knock-back into an opportunity. Engineer-designer Gary Anderson, Andrew Green, and Mark Smith were persuaded to move over from Reynard’s F3000 project, bringing with them the Ford V8 engine. The resulting car, known as the 911, was ready for testing in October but still lacked sponsors.

After a stingingly critical response to the car’s launch without any livery or sponsorship, Eddie decided to paint it a patriotic Irish green and sought sponsors with that branding. Pepsico’s 7-Up brand was a key target, but it only had $2 million in the coffers after committing to sponsor Michael Jackson’s Dangerous world tour.

The Struggles and Triumphs of Eddie Jordan Racing

Eddie Jordan Racing’s 1991 season presented two contrasting pictures: on track, a surprising level of success as the new team outperformed its peers; off-track, a downwards spiral of debt only partially staved off by Mercedes underwriting Michael Schumacher’s cameo appearance in Belgium. The end of the 7-Up and Fuji deals left Jordan without significant sponsorship going into 1992.

Despite these challenges, Eddie was often at his best when his back was against the wall. He managed to secure Sasol, the South African petrochemical company, as a sponsor in 1993, despite other teams already being spoken for. The team consolidated its competitive position in F1’s midfield and Eddie built his brand proposition: the cheeky outsider.

Eddie stayed in the F1 game for 14 years before the headwinds grew too strong. Having sold out, he was a rich man, but it’s said he wept and declared himself a failure on the day the deal was signed. Despite this, no other team has notched up four grand prix wins while spending as little as possible, making Eddie Jordan Racing a legend in the world of Formula 1.