Formula One news
Exclusive interview Eddie Irvine
15 June 2005It has been since 2002 that Eddie Irvine drove a Formula 1 car. Last weekend he was back in F1 for a just a few laps, during the Marlboro Masters on the Dutch track Zandvoort. The 'Ulsterman' does not want to race anymore, but there are rumors of him coming back as a team boss. F1Racing.net reporter Stijn Keuris talked to him.
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| Irvine back in a F1 car since 2002 |
Eddie, how was it to be back in a F1-car?
I was surprised how fast the car was, the acceleration was really impressive. This car was slower then my last Jaguar. Surely, this surprise is mainly caused because I haven't been in a Formula 1 car for three years now, but still it feels very impressive. It makes you realize why F1 is so amazing. I had to be careful but I pushed a little bit.
Any regrets now that you have left Formula 1?
No.
But you probably could have stayed a bit longer if you liked. There must have been other offers.
Yes, but not good enough. So there was no point. I had my time, it was fantastic but now I move on and do other things.
Mika Hakkinen is driving DTM at the moment, would you not like to do something like that?
No, I do not want to be a racing driver anymore.
So what do you want to be. A team boss?
I do not know what I want to be.
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| Irvine back on the paddock |
You have been visiting the Formula 1 paddock a lot lately.
Yes, because Formula 1 is back. Other drivers are winning, Michael (Schumacher) is having trouble. It is interesting again. Only the qualifying I hate.
Why?
It is so boring. Back to the original system! I hope they fix it again soon.
You are known for saying what you think. Can you still do that if you come back in Formula 1, no matter what role ?
It depends on what job you are in. Sometimes you just have to behave like they want you to. I would do that. But I am not interested in working for anybody at the moment to be honest.
What is up with Jordan. A lot of rumors are saying you are trying to buy the team.
So I hear.
What can you tell about it?
Nothing.
So it is just rumors?
Lets just say that I am always looking at opportunities...
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| Jordan struggling |
Does it hurt you when you see Jordan struggling like this? It was your first team in Formula 1.
No, not at all. I am not emotional like this.
So what about Ferrari.
It is obvious Ferrari is having a tyre issue. They dug this hole for themselves. They wanted Bridgestone to be exclusive for them and now the other teams made the Michelin tyre the best tyre.
You never made a secret of your role at Ferrari, driving for Michael Schumacher. Barrichello is having more trouble with that, like in Monaco.
I thought it was motorracing. I thought Michael was bad in Imola, at least he should have tried to overtake Alonso. But in Monaco he was doing very good. There was nothing wrong with him overtaking Rubens.
Red Bull took over the final team in F1, Jaguar, and all of a sudden it is going very well. Can you explain that?
The last two years I was with Jaguar, a lot of good people came to the team. They stayed and the team got a solid base. The problem before those two years was that they kept on changing the people. Now those people from five years ago are still there.
So Ford just pulled the plug out a year to early?
Yeah, but they always do the wrong thing. They bought the wrong team (Stewart), they paid too much for it. Stewart did not even have a wind tunnel. Buying a team without a wind tunnel… There were also other teams.
But were they prepared to sell?
Everything is for sale.
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Red Bull is now changing Klien with Liuzzi all the time. Why is that?
I think they want to train these young guys, so they can replace David Coulthard as soon as possible. But they are not doing a good enough job to replace him yet. DC is doing well, but he is not the future. He is a solid driver, but we all know he is not that good. He brings the car home, he scores points, but he is not that good. They (Red Bull Racing) need a superstar.
Could that superstar be Klien or Liuzzi?
Is does not seem so. Kovalainen seems to be very good and also Adam Caroll looks good. But it is not my problem who they put in the car.
What would you think about a woman in F1? Lots of rumors about Danica Patrick going to test for BAR.
I know nothing about this. IRL is not the best series in the world. For publicity it is great, but I do not see her driving F1. It would be fantastic, but I just do not think she will. Let's leave it at that.
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Is the championship over this season?
I think so, the point system is stupid. They made that rule to make it more interesting when Michael was winning all the time, but you just do not change rules because of one person. I do not know who is making these rules, but it is ridiculous.
You always have been very positive about Michael Schumacher. What makes him the best driver to you?
He is the best. Not because he is working hard, or very fit. He is just a great driver. But the time of retirement is coming. I would suggest one more season. After that: get out!
In 1999 you almost won the world championship. You lost it in the last race to Mika Hakkinen. How do you feel about that six years later.
I know, it is sad, but what can I do? I do not think 'what if'. There have been lots of girls who I wanted and I did not get. There are lots of girls I wanted and did get. Somebody wins, somebody loses...
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