Meet the F1 driver once denied a world championship by Michael Schumacher when they were Ferrari teammates

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Eddie Irvine made a controversial debut in Formula 1 right from the get-go at the 1993 Japanese Grand Prix, overtaking Ayrton Senna in an attempt to un-lap himself. The Brazilian confronted him after the race and when asked about it, he was punched in the face by the three-time world champion.

His controversial career continued at the 1994 season opener in Brazil, when Irvine was judged to have caused a four-car pile up and received a one-race ban along with a $10,000 (£8,500) fine.

Irvine’s career is topical as it is not only 20 years since he announced his retirement in 2003, but he is also the last perminant British driver to race for Ferrari. Irvine made the move to Ferrari after three years at Jordan in 1997, where he went up alongside Michael Schumacher.

He was often seen as the backup driver to Schumacher, rarely beating him on track but getting close on lap times at a few races. Irvine played a crucial role in holding up Jacques Villeneuve at Suzuka in 1997, which the Canadian went on to win after Schumacher was disqualified for intentionally crashing into his rival.

When Schumacher broke his leg in 1999 British Grand Prix, the German was replaced by Mika Salo and Irvine took on the role as team leader. It would be his one shot at a title, but it was somewhat derailed as the season went on.

Eddie Irvine’s title bid derailed by Michael Schumacher

Irvine had took his first race win for Ferrari earlier in the season at the Australian Grand Prix and added two more victories in Austria and Germany right after Schumacher was replaced.

After a third place in Hungary, Irvine took the championship lead with 56 points, just two points ahead of Mika Hakkinen. A difficult race in Belgium in which he finished fourth allowed Hakkinen to emerge ahead again and by the penultimate round in Malaysia, Schumacher was back in the car.

The German took pole but it was Irvine who prevailed after Schumacher slowed to let him past to take the lead, ultimately going on to win the race one second ahead of his teammate. Heading into the final round in Japan, Irvine was on 70 points and just four ahead of Hakkinen.

Schumacher qualified on pole at Suzuka but off the line it was Hakkinen that prevailed, taking the lead with Oliver Panis also taking third ahead of Irvine who jumped up to fourth from fifth on the grid.

After Coulthard later passed Irvine for third during the first round of pit stops, he made a mistake and spun into the barriers. When he rejoined a lap down on Schumacher, he deliberately held up the German in a bid to secure McLaren’s championship chances in both the Drivers and Constructors.

Instead it was Schumacher who would play a major role in deciding the fate, with him finishing in second nearly a lap ahead of Irvine who was third. Hakkinen won the race and secured the Drivers’ title, although the one-two from Ferrari helped them win the Constructors title in 1999.

Eddie Irvine was praised for being ‘throwback driver’

Irvine would subsequently leave Ferrari at the end of the season, going to Jaguar for two years before hanging up his helmet completely at the end of the 2002 season.

Flavio Briatore said Irvine was a driver from a bygone era of F1, considering he was always one who liked to party: “Eddie was a throwback to former times – a driver who liked to party and enjoy himself but also took his profession very seriously.”

Eddie Jordan, who ran him for three seasons, praised him and expressed his character in an age when drivers became more filtered: “It’s a sad day for F1 that Eddie can’t continue. With Jordan, Ferrari especially, and Jaguar he’s shown great style and lots of character. He has done well out of F1 and F1 has been richer for his colourful and intelligent presence.”

Irvine has subsequently went on to develop his multi-million pound property business outside of F1, while occasionally appearing at races.