For Marie Jordan’s sake, it is to be hoped the cars in yellow finish in the points at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone on Sunday. A spin in the gravel, a gearbox sticking or failure to finish and a miserable marital fortnight is guaranteed for the wife of Eddie Jordan.

With a mixture of bemused frustration and love in her voice, she said: ‘I often have to warn the kids: “You’ve just seen what’s happened – just don’t say anything”. You have to wait until the times are good’

Marie has travelled far – and at breakneck speed – since she met Eddie at a rock concert 25 years ago. She holds no lingering resentment over his life focus and won’t be waiting for the day he throws in his Formula One lot for a home life approaching normality.
'I’ve always said that if he retires, I’ll be gone,’ she added. ‘I couldn’t have him at home all day. He’s got too much energy.
Anyway, I don’t see him retiring from the grand prix scene. He’s always working for the future, always thinking about next year’s car and what’s about to happen. Without something to keep his mind busy, he’d get very frustrated.'

Marie will be an instantly recognisable figure in the Silverstone paddock this weekend. The short blond hair, the flashing white smile and he penchant for eye-catching clothes.

The British Grand Prix figures on her annual list of must-do events. At 43, she is sampling the high life that she and the team owner Eddie sacrificed so much for in their early years of their marriage.

When they left Dublin for England to take up racing full time – Eddie was still driving at that stage – Marie worked in a factory for £1.10 an hour to keep food on the table. When she was pregnant with their first child, the former Ireland basketball international drove around picking up car spare parts.
‘We went to Monaco in our early days in Formula Three,’ she recalled. ‘We stayed in a caravan, Eddie and I, Zoe and the two mechanics. I used to get the food the shops threw out at the end of the day. We went to the big ball in Monte Carlo but we had no money, so my dress was from Oxfam and Eddie had to borrow his suit. It really was like Cinderella going to the ball.

No caravan at Monaco these days.

‘I always knew it was going to be an interesting ride with Eddie. Good fun with lots happening. Never a dull moment.
‘He always said he would go into F1. Even when he said, “I’m off to the States to look for an engine”, I thought, “Yeah. Yeah”.
‘But six weeks later, he was putting the team together and we were knee deep in it. It was a tightrope for two years.
‘We were down £3million personally at one point and all we needed was for one of the banks to close in and we could have gone under. But I never tried to persuade Eddie not to go into it.’

If the financial worries have disappeared, the pace of life remains as hectic as ever – even during the F1 close season.
‘It’s all go with Eddie. Apart from football or a good movie, he’ll sit in front of the TV for five minutes and he’s gone, either drumming or running. He’s supposed to be making a CD this winter.’

Like having a 53-year old hyperactive child? ‘Exactly,’ said Marie. ‘His mother’s the same - and she’s 86.’

If F1 has hardened Eddie Jordan professionally, he remembers his earlier life of struggle.
He is a patron of the charity CLIC – Cancer and Leukaemia in Childhood – of which Marie is chairman of the London ‘Home from Home’ appeal which allows parents to stay with their children when they are receiving treatment. The Jordans will embark on a charity bike ride in India in November, while Marie is organising a celebrity auction in October to which Sir Elton John and Tiger Woods, amongst others, have donated personal items. Eddie’s favourite Harley-Davidson will also be up for offers.

Marie would love to be at her husband’s side at Silverstone, but 23 years of marriage have told her when to step back.
‘If it’s been a really bad result, I slide away,’ she said. ‘He’s not great for two weeks.’ She hopes not to have to do that on Sunday.

Unfortunately for Marie, Trulli was pushed into the gravel at the first corner, Frentzen suffered mechanical problems at the start, more problems in the second half of the race so could only finish a disappointing 7th. 2 weeks of keeping her head down should follow.

The CLIC hotline number for donations is +44 (0) 207 348 6094

© The Daily Mail - 12th July 2001.