Jetsetting Irvine unaware of penalty

He was heading for his former home on the island of Macau in his private jet, unaware that his crucial victory in the penultimate round of the world championship had been taken from him by the governing body, the FIA.

He does not know that Mika Hakkinen has been crowned champion, or any of the details of the political and technical wrangling that left his championship bid dead in the water.

The world knew about the ban decision but, according to team boss Jean Todt, the Ulsterman did not.

'I spoke to Eddie before the decision had been taken by the FIA,' said Todt. 'He knew about the problem but did not know about the outcome.

'When you hear something like this, you are bound to be disappointed."

The Ulsterman had raced from the circuit to his multi-million pound Falcon 10 jet and headed east unaware of the controversy that was unfurling behind him. He is crossing the world with his sister Sonia, who is also his personal physiotherapist, and his manager Enrico Zanarini in his own jet as part of a three-week journey from Italy to the Far East.