An Independent Man: The Autobiography

Eddie Jordan funded his first move into motor sport by selling smoked salmon well past its sell-by date to rugby fans leaving Lansdowne Road; when stopped for speeding by a policeman, he ended up selling him his car. He enjoyed racing, but soon set up his own team and then began to manage other drivers' careers. Eventually, having helped groom a whole series of future Grand Prix drivers such as Damon Hill and Martin Brundle, he moved into Formula One at the end of the 1980s. He gave Michael Schumacher his first drive, but lost him soon after to Benetton in a dispute over his contract. It wasn't long before the team began to pick up podium finishes, and in 1998 won its first race - a remarkable achievement on a comparatively small budget. The following year was even better. But sadly this was to be the peak, as the search for more finance and legal battles with sponsors hit hard. Eventually, in January 2005 he sold the team. This book takes you behind the scenes to reveal the true personalities of the drivers Jordan worked with, and his battles with Bernie Ecclestone. It shows how, when so much money is involved, nothing is ever simple. His has been a life lived to the full, and his account is packed full of superb stories, colourful adventures and revealing tales.