The story of Eddie Irvine – the rebellious heartthrob of Formula 1 in the '90s.
Childhood
Edmund Irvine Sr., the father of our hero, owned an auto salvage yard and was an avid racing fan, even participating in amateur competitions. One day, he confessed that he wanted to name his son Sterling Moss – after the British Formula-1 driver who finished second in the championship four times from 1955 to 1958. However, the family managed to explain that giving a child a name composed of another person's first and last name was a bad idea. Thus, on November 10, 1965, Eddie Irvine Jr. was born.
During that time, there was an active conflict between independent Ireland and Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. The unfavorable environment affected the upbringing of our hero, who thought similar situations occurred worldwide. When Eddie first arrived in England, he instinctively expected to be searched in a store, which surprised the shopkeepers.
Every year, the Irvine family traveled to Silverstone to watch the Formula-1 race. Since the parents did not have as much money as they would have liked, the children often found various ways to sneak onto the track without a ticket. In 1976, even young Irvine managed to sneak into the pits, where he met his childhood idol, James Hunt, who was known for his countless parties, passion for alcohol, and incredible success with women.
In his teenage years, Eddie, along with his sister Sonia, participated in swimming and showed quite good results. However, at 15, while rollerblading, he injured his leg, which forced him to give up water sports. It was at that moment that he decided to become a racing driver.
Career Beginnings
One time, Irvine Sr. brought an old Ford Capri to his junkyard, and young Irvine managed to clean the car so thoroughly that it looked practically new. Soon after, the car was traded for racing equipment, marking the beginning of our hero's journey in motorsport.
Eddie worked tirelessly all week to fund his participation in competitions, while on weekends, he raced on the track.
After a series of successes in Ireland, the Irvine family concluded that they should try racing in England. Initially, the constant lack of money severely hindered the racer’s career. However, in 1986, after making money from car reselling, our hero managed to buy a Formula Ford car. By 1987, he became the champion of the series.
In 1988, Eddie moved to F-3. Although he only finished fifth in the season standings, a stunning victory at the Macau Grand Prix led to Irvine being included in Philip Morris's support program.
James Hunt’s Lessons
At the end of the 1988 season, Eddie was invited as a guest to the final Formula 3000 race to observe the performances of more experienced drivers and learn something useful. However, he had to fly to Paris with his childhood idol, James Hunt, who at that time was the curator of the aforementioned tobacco empire's racing program. Despite being over 40 years old at the time, the former Formula-1 driver did not abandon his old habits. And the entire flight was spent in the company of a large amount of alcohol.
5James Hunt speaks with Eddie Irvine before the start of the Formula 3000 race at the Brands Hatch circuit in 1989
However, Hunt taught Irvine not only about the extravagant life off the track but also became his mentor in racing. He was the one who helped Eddie get behind the wheel of a Formula-1 car for the first time during tests with Onyx Grand Prix. Although the racing team eventually signed another driver (Jyrki Järvilehto), the experience gained was invaluable and set a goal for the young racer – he was determined to reach the "royal races".
Life in Japan
Another Irishman, who would later become a prominent figure in the paddock, Eddie Jordan, was obsessed with creating a national racing team. For the 1990 season, he invited Irvine to his Formula 3000 team, and a month later announced that Jordan's team would enter Formula 1 in 1991.
At the end of the 1990 season, our hero finished third and expected the boss to take him to the "royal races" the following year. However, the choice fell on Bertrand Gachot (the same one who later opened the door to Formula 1 for Michael Schumacher).
Realizing that breaking into Formula 1 was not going to be easy, Irvine began searching for a team for the new season. Around that time, he learned that driver salaries in Japanese Formula 3000 were ten times higher than in Europe. Alongside him in the series were many European drivers. And it was during his life in Japan that Eddie experienced most of his "adventures" off the track – breaks between races were almost entirely spent at various parties.
As for race results, the first two seasons were unsuccessful (7th and 8th places in the championship), but in the 1993 season, our hero confidently led the personal standings. Around this time, Eddie Jordan reconnected with an invitation to Formula 1.
Having grown accustomed to life in Japan, frequent nightclubs, and the attention of local girls, Irvine even considered whether to accept. The Irishman struggled with the question in his mind: should he give everything up for the elusive dream of success in the "royal races"? The Cerumo team, which had been striving for success for three years, was also reluctant to let him go. Moreover, in the "land of the rising sun," Eddie was earning a significant amount of money, enough not only for nightly parties but also to actively invest in investment funds. Meanwhile, Jordan was nowhere near willing to pay such salaries to drivers. What’s more, he often took money from them for the opportunity to race.
However, the Japanese Grand Prix was approaching, so Irvine didn't have to go anywhere, and the "Suzuka" circuit was very familiar to him. Therefore, it was decided to take the chance.
First Races in Formula 1
Eddie Irvine made his Formula 1 debut at the 1993 Japanese Grand Prix, although at that moment, he still viewed the situation more as an adventure than a serious future plan. However, the very first race led to the world talking about the young Irishman.
At that time, only two races remained until the end of the season. "The Professor" Alain Prost had already secured the championship title and preferred to finish the rest of his career without unnecessary risks. Thus, the main "bad boy," Ayrton Senna, surged to the lead in the race.
At one point, the "wizard" caught up with Irvine, who was battling for position with Damon Hill. Initially, the Irishman let the Brazilian pass, but for some reason, he got stuck behind the Brit. Not wanting to waste time, Eddie executed a decisive overtake and found himself ahead of Ayrton again. This event became the highlight of the race, overshadowing even the fact that in his debut race, Irvine finished sixth and scored points.
But after the finish, the race was not over. With a massive "ego" and an incredibly narcissistic sense of self-importance, Senna was furious that a rookie in a weak car had overtaken him so easily, even though this battle was with a lap difference. After the podium ceremony, the "wizard" headed to Jordan's pits for a confrontation. A brief verbal argument ended with the Brazilian punching the Irishman in the face.
This story continued into the off-season. Following a series of unreasonable actions, Ayrton was to be suspended for half the season for educational purposes, but it was later decided to impose only a conditional penalty.
As for Eddie Irvine – having gained such fame in just one race, he signed a contract with Jordan for the following season. His teammate was Rubens Barrichello.
Jordan
The Brazilian Grand Prix opened the 1994 season, and there occurred our hero's first grand accident. Irvine and rookie Jos Verstappen (the father of Max Verstappen), who was tailing him, approached the lapped Eric Bernard. Taking advantage of the delay, the Dutchman attacked, but the Irishman closed the door very harshly. Consequently, this action led to an accident involving four drivers, including Martin Brundle, who was ahead of this group.
The accident was massive, and miraculously did not lead to tragedy, but all the drivers emerged alive and unharmed. Irvine was deemed at fault, receiving a one-race ban. Team boss Eddie Jordan defended his driver and filed an appeal. However, instead of overturning the penalty, it was only strengthened, and the suspension was extended to three Grand Prix.
During the Irish