Bernie Ecclestone has revealed he won't attend Eddie Jordan's funeral after the 76-year-old died following a battle with prostate cancer.
Jordan's family confirmed his death occured in the early hours of Thursday morning at his home in Cape Town, South Africa.
Ecclestone and the ex-F1 star struck up a good friendship during their time in the sport together.
The 94-year-old, speaking to the Daily Mail, has now paid tribute to his 'special' friend while opening up about his health battle.
F1 news: Bernie Ecclestone has revealed he won't attend Eddie Jordan's funeral after the 76-year-old died following a battle with prostate cancer
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"I am very, very sad because Eddie was a special guy. Tell me which team principal today is like him," he said.
"You can’t give me one because there isn’t one. They don’t make them like that now. We will never replace him in Formula One.
"He had been ill for some months. I last heard he was given two diagnoses by different doctors.
"One told him he was in trouble and another that all his problems had gone away. Now we know the answer, unfortunately."
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Ecclestone then revealed that he wouldn't be attending the funeral because he 'doesn't do them'.
"With Eddie, you always knew where you stood," he said.
"We could joke and laugh at each other. We very were close in a strange way. We trusted each other.
"We stole Schumacher from him, telling him Michael would be going to Benetton in 1992, and we discussed this through a whole night session.
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F1 news: Bernie Ecclestone has paid tribute to his 'special friend' Eddie Jordan
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"You learn a lot about people in circumstances like those. He was fighting to keep his driver but was happy if he got a few dollars in exchange for Michael going. Eddie was always looking for a few dollars in a completely nice way.
"I would have given him an open cheque because I trusted him totally.
"I won’t be going to his funeral. I don’t go to funerals. I may not go to mine. He certainly won’t go to mine.
"So, it’s all fair. It always was with Eddie."
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The world of F1 is now in mourning following Jordan's death.
Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has released a statement hailing the former driver and team boss in recognition of everything he achieved.
"We are deeply saddened to hear about the sudden loss of Eddie Jordan," he said.
F1 news: The Formula One world is in mourning following Eddie Jordan's death at the age of 76
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"With his inexhaustible energy he always knew how to make people smile, remaining genuine and brilliant at all times.
"Eddie has been a protagonist of an era of F1 and he will be deeply missed.
"In this moment of sorrow, my thoughts and those of the entire Formula 1 family are with his family and loved ones."
