Many fans will remember ‘EJ’ for his fun-loving attitude and his larger than life personality, which was embodied in his team. But in a candid discussion with Tom Clarkson, he admits Jordan’s rock and roll attitude was something of a façade – and one that helped his squad perform some of their giant killing antics.
“[McLaren team boss] Ron Dennis could never get over it. He’d say 'When are you going to get over it and be serious?’, and that was perfect because we were so serious,” says Jordan, who led his team to four wins over 250 Grands Prix, with a high watermark of third place in the constructors’ standings in 1999.
“Behind that façade there was something wickedly competitive – such a desire to beat McLaren and everybody else. The people on the outside thought ‘they don’t know what they’re doing’ and from that point of view that was perfect for us."
From his own career as a driver to the inside story of how Michael Schumacher came to make his debut for Jordan and much, much more, EJ brings plenty of stories to the table from an incredible life in motor sport.
You can listen to the full show in the audio player above. And to make sure you don’t miss an episode, be sure to subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favourite podcast app.
