Irvine says replace me if I'm rubbish…

De la Rosa was signed as the Big Cat's second test driver last week and Jaguar's new overlord Niki Lauda has confirmed that the Spaniard will likely step up to the race team for 2002, piling increased pressure on Irvine and current team mate Luciano Burti.

"To be honest, if the guy does the job, he deserves a race drive," said the outspoken Irvine, "and if Luciano or I aren't doing the job, then I don't think we deserve to keep it.

"That's Formula 1, isn't it? We've got a great job, but everyone wants it. And if you're not doing it, get out, go home and sit in front of the TV."

De la Rosa has a test deal with the Milton Keynes-based team for 2001 and Lauda has confirmed in Melbourne, ahead of Sunday's Australian Grand Prix, that the former Arrows driver will race in 2002. The triple world champ said: "He has a contract for this, yes."

Despite the potential threat from de la Rosa, who turned down a similar test-now-race-later deal with the Prost team to move to Jaguar, Irvine believes the 30-year-old is a welcome addition to the troubled team. De la Rosa will help to work through the mountain of testing and development work to be carried out this year with the less-experienced Tomas Scheckter.

Irvine said: "It is a big relief, to be honest, because up until now Luciano has been learning to drive the car and I've been doing tyres and all the other stuff. It's just too much."

Irvine struggled to 13th place after the first day of practice sessions for Sunday's race, but said that he had expected to be at least two places lower.

For the full practice session 2 results click here.