Irvine speaks out

(10-Jul-98) - Eddie Irvine took time out from his British Grand Prix build
up to speak to autosportmag.com.

Q: Where do you see McLaren and Ferrari standing?
EI: They have still got a reasonable advantage over us, you have to say.
You look at their race times compared to us, or compared to me, and okay I
wasn't going flat out in France because it wasn't in my interest to go flat
out, but I couldn't have got anywhere near the times the McLaren were
doing. Michael obviously can, but that is Michael, and if you look at
normal people then you have to say McLaren are a reasonable step ahead of
us. They're efficiency is everything, we have improved our car in every
area, but I think they still have the advantage.

EI: Silverstone is going to be a difficult one for us because they have
been testing here all year. I see us being pretty close everywhere for now
on, but here will be a tough one and afterwards I think it should start
getting better.

Q: What are the pros and cons of staying with Ferrari next year?
EI: To be honest, it is a difficult decision. I've got a good car and a
very good team. Strategy wise we are second to none, but I have to look at
my possibilities and to improve on my situation here would be quite
difficult. But at the same time I am always getting compared with Michael
Schumacher, which is obviously not the easiest thing in the world.
Sometimes it is good because you are measuring yourself against the best,
you are always aiming to climb Mount Everest every time you get in the car,
where if you have another guy in the other car it is just a gentle stroll
up the Alps. So from that point of view it is very tough and obviously if
there are some new parts then Michael gets it, the second bits go on the
spare and I get whatever is left. It can be very demotivating, but at the
end of the day I still got a second in France -- everything has got its
pros and cons.

Q: Where is Michael better than you?
EI: It depends. Sometimes it is in the high speed corners, but in chicanes
he is very good. He is fantastic at jumping kerbs, that is why he was so
good in Canada. At high speed there is not so much between us now, but some
corners like where there are blind entries he is very good at anticipating
where a corner is. If you look in Magny Cours there was nothing between us
anywhere, if you look at my T-times I did the same lap time that he did --
except he got his lap together and I didn't. Sometimes I am right there,
but if there is too much understeer he doesn't seem to worry about it
whereas I can't cope with it at all.

Q: Have you got an offer to stay?
EI: I haven't spoken to them. I think stability is good, unless you have
got a very good reason to change then there is no point to change. If you
look at the teams that have changed it does take a while for things to
settle in and sometimes they don't. Look at Frentzen at Williams, it has
never really gelled. If Michael had have broken down in France I would have
won the Grand Prix. It is a matter of choosing and deciding whether this is
the best car available to me. Or is there a car that is nearly as good with
a lot better opportunity.

Q: Do you think Michael is going to stay?
EI: Oh he is staying. He doesn't want to win the world championship with
McLaren, he wants to win it with Ferrari.

Q: Has he told you that?
EI: It's obvious. He hasn't been here for three seasons because he just
wanted the money, he can get the money elsewhere if he wants it. And the
team do everything for him, they couldn't go out of their way more for him
than they do. He is obviously very happy because everything is done that he
wants.

Q: Does the team make you feel welcome or you are an outsider?
EI: Michael dominates it for sure. He dominates the whole picuture and you
just have to look at Monaco in a way. I finished on the podium but it
didn't matter, they were all disappointed because Michael didn't win the
race. It is clear that the focus on the team is Michael but I am given a
bloody good car, I've had five podiums in eight races so I am obviously
given good treatment. Their focus is on Michael to win the championship and
they are not going to win it with me. They know that and I know that, so
they focus on Michael and that is the way it is. And to be honest that is
the right way to be. Okay, if the car was clearly as competitive as the
McLaren is, then you might not need a Michael Schumacher driving it, but at
the minute McLaren has the edge.

Q: Do you think your reputation as the wild man of Formula One damages you?
EI: I tell the truth as I see it. If people aren't happy with it, they are
entitled to their own opinion. I have fun, but I am not sloshing around
some bar Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday before a Grand Prix. That is not
professional, being professional I do my job, but I do like to live at the
same time. There is no point going through life and getting to 90 thinking
I wish I had done that, because your body won't do it.

Q: What is your training regime?
EI: I hate it with a vengeance, but I do things. I'm not particularly keen
on gym work but I run and I water-ski, I jet-ski and I swim. I am
constantly active so I'm in good shape.

Q: What are you feelings for Silverstone?
EI: I think the McLarens are going to be very, very strong here. If I can
get on the podium I would be more than happy here, I really would be.

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