Irvine: We have a long way to go

The former Ferrari star bluntly declared: "I am not going to be in such a competitive position as I was last season.

"And I would be surprised if we could challenge McLaren and Ferrari.

"If we are in that position then they will be doing something wrong.

"It would be lovely but F1 is about physics and our physics are not quite there yet. We haven't got the infrastructure that Ferrari have been building for years."

The Irishman, who quit Ferrari at the end of last season after failing to win the world championship to join Jaguar insisted his new team can and will improve.

"I know we have a long way to go he added there are a lot of areas we can improve in and that gives me confidence

"I have seen what Ferrari have done over the last few years to become competitive and I know we have a long way to go

"We have a great engine in the Cosworth and we are second to none in that department."

But the time it will take to arm Jaguar with the technology to rival the top teams will hold the Formula One outfit back this year, he said.

"We are building a wind tunnel but it will not be ready for year and half to two years and that is a major stumbling block."

Irvine had a friendly dig at his new teammate, Johnny Herbert, joking, "I didn't realise how short he is.

"He's the same height as my four year old daughter."