We put up a good fight, says Irvine

The Ulsterman raced home a distant third, behind the Finn and his own team-mate Michael Schumacher second to lose the crown by just two points.

'There is no point in crying,' he said in the post-race press conference. 'We put up a good fight. There is no point in complaining.

'We made small mistakes over the year and that what was cost us today but then everyone made mistakes over the course of the year.

As the title slipped from his grasp he admitted he could do little more than power to a lonely third and watch Hakkinen take if from him on the giant television screens all around the circuit.

'Third was the best I could have hoped for because qualifying had not gone as I had hoped. Mika won the championship in style you have to say,' he added.

Hakkinen was so far ahead - more than a minute and half - he was close to lapping the Ulsterman.

'When Michael was racing Mika towards the end I still thought there was a chance,' said Irvine.

'But my race was pretty boring I was just sitting there and watching the television screens and wondering if anything would happen to Mika.'

'We were lucky in qualifying Mika did not get his last lap in and grab pole, today our luck finally ran out today.

'Mika has had the car and speed all season to be able to afford to make mistakes.

'If it had been 15-race championship I would be champion now but it was 16 and today the title went.

'It was decided on the flick of a coin, it was that close. I could be standing here under totally different circumstances.

'Starts, as we have seen, are so important in Formula one.

'We still a lot to celebrate. If at the start of the season if we were offered the constructors' and me finishing second I think we would have taken it.

'At least we won one championship. It's not the one I or Ferrari wanted but it is a great consolation prize.'

He earned a lot of new admirers with his unstinting praise of his rival.

'Mike drove a great race and he deserved to be champion today. He was fantastic.'

He ends the season with 74 points to Hakkinen's 76.