Derek McMahon, the Milford man who 'made' Eddie Jordan

There has been an outpouring of emotion in the motorsport world following the death of former Formula 1 team owner Eddie Jordan - whose career was launched by a Donegal man.

Jordan, who was 76, passed away peacefully with family by his side in Cape Town in the early hours of Thursday.

In the late 1970s, Jordan was drafted into the Derek McMahon Racing Team. Businessman Derek McMahon, a native of Milford, pulled Jordan in at a time when Derek Daly, another of his protégées, was competing in F1 and F2.

Prior to being snapped up by McMahon, Jordan won a Formula Atlantic Championship at Mondello Park and the All-Ireland Championship at Kirkistown.

McMahon recruited Jordan to compete in the British F3 campaign with Stefan Johansson.

McMahon was one of the founders of the Donegal Motor Club and served as its President until his death in 2016. He owned the McMahon Bros car dealership, which specialised in BMW, and also Donegal Oil. He was an instrumental figure in the inception of the Donegal Rally and was a driving force behind the event gaining international status.

Jordan raced for McMahon in 1979 and 1980 and he took over the Silverstone-based business in 1981 with the Donegal man quickly spotting Jordan’s business sense. 

The team was renamed as Eddie Jordan Racing and from 1991 to 2005 Jordan Grant Prix competed in Formula 1.

Jordan Grand Prix won its first and only Formula 1 race at the 1998 Belgian Grand Prix where Damon Hill secured victory ahead of Jordan teammate, Ralf Schumacher, who finished second in treacherous wet conditions at Spa-Francorchamps.

Over the years, Jordan never forgot the influence of McMahon.

In February 2000, when Jordan was honoured on ‘This Is Your Life’, McMahon was one of the invited guests. A treasured possession in the McMahon family is a picture including Derek McMahon and Eddie Jordan, which is signed: “Big D, you made me. Eddie Jordan”.

Jordan’s F1 team helped launched several prominent careers, including that of Michael Schumacher, Eddie Irvine and Rubens Barrichello.

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After selling the team, Jordan became a popular F1 pundit and analyst, known for his charismatic and outspoken personality. 

All thanks to an approach from Derek McMahon.