Michael Schumacher has finally admitted what everyone else suspected - he did not want Eddie Irvine to win the world title for Ferrari. Schumacher revealed that his former teammate would not have been a worthy Champion, as he himself prepares for his latest campaign to regain the drivers' crown. Irvine, now at Jaguar Racing, missed out by just two points last season after taking over as team leader at Ferrari following the German's crash at the British Grand Prix.
Schumacher returned after a six-race absence to hand Irvine victory in the penultimate race in Malaysia, but his support was lukewarm at best in the decider in Japan as McLaren's Mika Hakkinen snatched the title. "If it had gone Irvine's way it would not have been very satisfactory on a sports level because Hakkinen is the better driver", said Schumacher. Irvine, who finished third in Japan, would have won the title had his team leader triumphed in the race, but despite having the advantage of pole the two-time Champion allowed the Finn to take a crucial lead.
It means Schumacher, who has been paid well over £100million since joining Ferrari in 1996, has been left free to attempt to become their first Drivers' Champion since Jody Scheckter in 1979. Schumacher, who missed out in last-race deciders to Jacques Villeneuve in 1997 and Hakkinen the following year, is determined to succeed this time as he launches his challenge in Melbourne, Australia on Sunday.
