Suzuka record should boost Irvine

Irvine holds a four-point lead [70-66] over McLaren's Mika Hakkinen and victory at Suzuka would make him the Italian team's first title winner since Jody Scheckter in 1979.

Irvine made his Suzuka debut in 1993 with Jordan, finishing sixth.

Since then his performance at the circuit has improved consistently.

In 1994 he finished fifth, in 1995 fourth, in 1996 he did not finish the race, but in 1997 he stepped onto the podium in third, and in 1998 he improved on that performance with a second.

Despite his retirement in 1996, if the pattern continues the Ulsterman should pick up his first ever Japanese GP win.

As well as being the 20th anniversary since Scheckter's famous triumph, 1999 also marks the centenary of major Ferrari shareholder Fiat.

Furthermore, Irvine's hero, James Hunt won the 1976 championship after a season-long duel between his McLaren and Ferrari.

Hunt's championship came after he was disqualified and reinstated in Spain for a technical infringement.

With McLaren's Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard colliding twice this year - in Austria and Belgium - another trend has emerged which should give Irvine a psychological boost.

Every 13 years a team not running team orders has been beaten to the title.

In 1986, Alain Prost's McLaren pipped Williams duo Nigel Mansell and Nelson Piquet to the title, while in 1973, Jackie Stewart won the championship for Tyrrell, ahead of squabbling Lotus team-mates Emerson Fittipaldi and Ronnie Peterson.