The sport had been raised on a succession of intense, dedicated racing drivers who wore their hearts on their Nomex sleeves and would clearly donate body parts if it meant getting the right opportunity in the right car. Yet there was Irvine, always laid b He made it as far as F3000 in Europe before the momentum sagged, as it so often does, and thereafter he switched to racing in the same series in Japan. Such a move had frequently been the death knell for other drivers' careers, but Irvine turned it to his Given Marlboro's faith in him, it was fitting when Irvine was the surprise announcement as partner to Michael Schumacher when Ferrari revised its driver lineup for 1996. That first season provided a character-building lesson in the German's true speed, Sc Irvine had won the opening race of 1999; now he found himself leading the team. Two further victories followed, before the returned Schumacher gifted him a fourth in Malaysia. Irvine went into the final race only two points adrift of Mika Hakkinen. It was In the end, Irvine came up short. Perhaps it would prove the high point of his career. He had however done enough to convince Jaguar Racing to sign him on a lucrative three-year contract. It has not been easy as the Jaguar F1 cars have not been competitiv