Eddie Irvine has defiantly ruled out a potential move to America next season after launching a withering attack on the two Stateside series. Irvine's future at Jaguar is currently shrouded in doubt as his contract expires at the end of the season, while he has long been unhappy with the overall performance of the car.
There are rumours the 36-year-old Ulsterman is to become a test driver such is his disillusionment with the Jaguar, while the likes of the up-and-coming Mark Webber have been linked with a move to the team.
"I would never drive in the States. I've no interest in it whatsoever. I went there in '93 and looked at it when I was doing Japanese 3000 as Toyota were going to go into it and they wanted me to have a look at doing Indy Cars," Irvine said. "I did look at it, and although a step forward in that it was a bigger series, the Japanese series was definitely more professional."
Irvine then used a colourful analogy to describe the difference between Formula One and IRL and CART Racing, the two American series. A descriptive Irvine said: "You can't employ someone to be a butcher, and then give them a contract and say 'right, you're not going to be a butcher, you're going to lift the bins'."
Jaguar boss Niki Lauda has not yet come to a decision over just who will be in the cars for next year, with Irvine offering few clues as to his next move. "I've a reasonable idea of what I want to do, but I'm not really any closer to making a decision," added Irvine.
"We're better now than we have been before, and we've new bits planned for Spa, so that should be a step forward. I'm not enjoying it as much as I did last year. Last year I had lot of fun in the races, but this year it's been difficult. I know guys like Webber are being linked, which is an obvious thing because the guy has done good races, but I'm not worried in the slightest," Irvine continued.
Filed by Sinéad Kissane
