Irvine Optimistic Revised Jaguar Will be Competitive

Irishman Eddie Irvine is hoping the revised Jaguar R3B chassis will allow him to qualify in the top ten at the British Grand Prix next weekend.

The Silverstone race will finally see the introduction of the much awaited revised car after the Milton Keynes team tested it at the Barcelona circuit last week with both Irvine and teammate Pedro de la Rosa.

The Cosworth-powered machine, which includes a modified aerodynamic package among other changes, failed to impress on its debut, finishing at the bottom of the timesheets on both days it took to the track.

Irvine, however, is expecting the R3B will allow Jaguar to fight for the top ten and edge away from the final rows of the grid, where both the Ulsterman and de la Rosa have been most of the season.

"I'm optimistic but anxious as well, you know," Irvine told The Guardian newspaper. "We've heard it all before [about making technical progress] but I think this is based on a lot more fact and less wishful thinking. There's more science involved this time.

"We hope to be about 10th. Better than 10th would be fantastic. A little bit worse would not be bad. Because with the old car, we'd probably have been last apart from the Minardis."

36-year old Irvine, now the oldest man on the grid, is still unsure about his future in Formula One, with his current contract expiring at the end of the season. The Brit, however, tries to remain positive and denies that he is losing his motivation.

"I don't think so. You never know, because it's depressing where we are," he added. "But one obviously tries to minimise the damage. It's a long way from the fun of last year, though, when we qualified badly but did really well in the races.

"I had so much fun last year, passing lots of cars to knock on the door of the top six by the end of each race. Driving for Ferrari was nowhere near as much fun."

Irvine, who was runner-up in the 1999 Championship with the Ferrari team, has scored only three points this season.