The 1998 Belgian GP was a chaotic spectacle that will live long in the memory of F1 fans. A rain-hit race was interrupted on multiple occasions and there were massive crashes right from the get go. After the race, however, Michael Schumacher was furious with Eddie Jordan for what happened between his brother Ralf Schumacher and Damon Hill. He threatened to take Ralf, who was driving for the Irishman, away from the team. In reply, Jordan asked the German driver to pay a huge sum of money.
On the Formula For Success podcast, Jordan narrated, “He [Schumacher] was hardcore and he was not happy. But he took it out on me afterwards, blaming me for not letting Ralf [Schumacher] pass Damon [Hill]. He told me he was going to take Ralf away.”
In pure Eddie Jordan style, he told Schumacher he was free to take his brother but first he had to cough up a contractually agreed $2.5 million.
According to Jordan, Schumacher’s anger may have been misdirected. However, in all probability, it was just brotherly love as he wanted Ralf to win the race ahead of his teammate Damon Hill.
Hill leapt off the line at the start and pulled away in his Jordan to take that iconic win for himself. Ralf tagged along behind him but looked faster that afternoon. If allowed, Schumacher thought his brother was the deserving winner of the race.
As it turns out, Schumacher did shell out the money. And that’s how Ralf Schumacher ended up at Williams the very next year. During his time with the team, he finished 4th in the driver’s standings in 2001 and 2002, while collecting six Grand Prix wins to his name.
The standoff between Jordan and Schumacher isn’t surprising, however. The seven-time world champion and Eddie Jordan seldom saw eye-to-eye.
The $3.5 million bone Eddie Jordan has to pick with Michael Schumacher
It was Eddie Jordan who had made Schumacher’s Grand Prix debut possible. After Bertrand Gachot’s infamous incarceration for an altercation with a taxi driver just before the 1991 Belgian GP, Schumacher was given the chance to replace him after much persuasion from Willi Weber and a promised $3.5 million payout to the team for the upcoming 1992 and 1993 seasons.
On his very first Grand Prix weekend, the German left the entirety of the paddock in awe of him. Strapped into a sluggish Jordan, the now seven-time world champion impressively dragged it to P7 in Qualifying. Though his race only lasted a couple of corners due to a destroyed clutch plate, his stock was high and he was a wanted man.
Schumacher recognized this and promptly ditched Jordan to join Benetton. This irked Eddie Jordan, though. But with Benetton, Schumacher quickly went on to win two-world championships in 1994 and 1995, before shifting to Ferrari from the 1996 season onwards.
Well, while Jordan never really got to see the money Schumacher had promised him, this $2.5 million dent he put in his pocket was probably Jordan getting his revenge.
