Thursday June 1st, 2000

Eddie Irvine was fourth fastest in free practice for Sunday's Monte Carlo Grand Prix and then headed for his luxury yacht in the harbour.

As he sat back in the afternoon sunshine, it looked as if he had not a care in the world.

But for both the Briton and his new Jaguar team, it was the most promising day's work of a debut season in which they have yet to score a point.

Jaguar chairman and team chief Neil Ressler, drafted in to boost the flagging outfit's form after a poor start to the year following their takeover of the former Stewart team, was suitably impressed.

"I think some of the mechanical and aerodynamic work on the chassis and the improvements on the engine mapping which we tested recently are beginning to show through at last," he said.

Irvine, back on the track where he finished runner-up to German Michael Schumacher last year in Ferrari's first one-two on the streets of the Mediterranean principality, was a little less enthusiastic.

He expressed surprise at doing well. "I'm pretty happy to be fourth, I didn't expect to be that well-placed," he laughed. "But having said that, Thursday is Friday here, but it's Saturday that matters -- if that's not too Irish!"

Free practice is normally on Friday in Formula One but in Monaco it happens on Thursday with a rest day before the all-important official qualifying session on Saturday.

"Today we concentrated on making the car sensible. We made a good step forward initially and a surprisingly big step towards the end," added Irvine.

"I also got a tip off Jackie (Stewart) on how to handle Casino Square - it's a pity it's not going to make me any money."

Irvine's team-mate and fellow-Briton Johnny Herbert struggled to take 15th place with a troublesome engine.

"It affected me throughout the sessions and made the car difficult to drive," he said. "All in all, it was another problematic day which is becoming tiresome."

Technical director Gary Anderson said: "We are reasonably content at this stage and the cars are as well-balanced as you can hope for -- to hold fourth is encouraging.

"Johnny, I think, is heading in the right direction too."