Tuesday November 2nd, 1999

"Pass the aspirin." With these words Eddie Irvine begins his column this week in the Express, explaining: "the more I think about losing the world title the more it will hurt, so I am going to make sure my brain is in no condition to have thoughts."

In his column, which is as usual very candid and exceptionally revealing, Irvine laments the loss of the World Championship, which he puts down mainly to the mistakes made by the Ferrari team - specifically that crucial pitstop at the Nurburgring. He also goes on to warn his replacement at Ferrari, Rubens Barrichello, from what he will be up against in the Italian team.

"I have learned a lot at Ferrari and I feel a much richer person for having been with them," Irvine writes. "But now it is time to go and I cannot wait to join Jaguar. The timing is fantastic. I was really desperate to get out of Ferrari this season and I am a lucky, lucky guy. I could not have coped with another year because Michael is so damn good - he is a back-breaker. He saps you and the effort of working and competing with him drains you.

"I feel for my replacement, Rubens Barrichello, because I don't believe he has any idea what he has let himself in for. I don't know if he will be crushed by Schumacher, but I do know he is in for a really hard time. Michael's rest during recuperation from a broken leg has done him a power of good. Until then, there were a few times when I knew I could get him, but since he has been back he has been on a different planet.

"Maybe I should break my leg, stick it up for three or four months and see if it does the same for me. He has returned as I remember him in our first season together four years ago and, with him fully fit, I just know we will all be up against it next year."

In the mean time, Michael Schumacher himself told the Gazzetta dello Sport he believes Barrichello and himself will get along well, better than he and Irvine did. "Rubens is a really good guy. I've never had any problems or disagreements with him," Schumacher said. "I've always had a good rapport with other drivers but I think that I will get on better with Rubens than I did with Eddie. He's like me in that he's married, and he doesn't have a crazy life like Eddie does. We'll get on well off the track as well as on it, I'm sure about that. With Eddie it was never possible."