McLaren boss blasts Irvine

   Copyright c 1998 Nando Media
   Copyright c 1998 Reuters

SILVERSTONE, Britain (Jul 10, 1998 - 16:15 EDT) - McLaren boss Ron Dennis
hit back angrily on Friday at suggestions by Ferrari driver Eddie Irvine
that his Formula One team had made a series of mistakes this season that
could cost them the championship.

"I have respect for all Grand Prix drivers, because it is a difficult
task to go well in a Grand Prix car, but most opinions that drivers express
are wrong," Dennis said.

"When somebody wants to occupy themselves with the sort of
observations that Eddie has made then as far as I am concerned a) they are
wasting their time because they should be focused on their own objectives
and b) if anything it motivates us more.

"The reality of the situation is that we are a focused, dedicated
organisation and we bring that focus to win every Grand Prix.

"Of course, inevitably, when you are pushing you make mistakes. We
make mistakes, but no one can be harder on the team than we are on
ourselves."

Dennis was reacting to comments by Irvine following Friday's practice
sessions ahead of Sunday's British Grand Prix.

Irvine, whose German team-mate Michael Schumacher is six points behind
McLaren's Mika Hakkinen in the title chase, said he believed Ferrari were
still on course to take this year's drivers' title even if they lose
Sunday's race.

"McLaren should be a lot further ahead than they actually are this
season," Irvine said.

"They've made strategy mistakes, they've made reliability mistakes and
you have to say we haven't.

"I think here we are going to have a hard time. It is like France in
the football World Cup. (English-based) McLaren are playing at home and we
are not at 100 percent. But I think over the season I would still put my
money on Michael."

Although Dennis has seen Schumacher win the last two Grands Prix, in France
and Canada, he said he was confident with the situation after seeing
Coulthard and Hakkinen lead the way in Friday's practice.

"I'm very comfortable with the way things are going, I'm disappointed
with the unreliability we suffered, especially from human errors, but we
are as determined to win as ever," Dennis said.

Irvine was fifth fastest in Friday's practice, two places ahead of Schumacher.

--- Msged/386 4.20 beta 4