Eddie Irvine's Formula One future should be decided within the next fortnight as the Stewart Racing team has revealed that it will announce its driver line-up for the 2000 season within that time. The Irish driver, whose fight for joint number one status at Ferrari damaged his position there and apparently irked team-mate Michael Schumacher, has repeatedly been linked with the Ford-owned outfit in recent months. Rumours of Irvine's departure were heightened by simultaneous suggestions that current Stewart pilot Rubens Barrichello was in talks with Ferrari about moving to take over the role of number two to Schumacher.
Despite consistent denials from both Irvine and Stewart, the transfer speculation was further intensified by reports that the Milton Keynes-based team had tabled a £6 million offer for the Irishman's services in 2000. Irvine's current earnings from Ferrari are believed to be in the region £3 1/2 million.
The Irishman's team-mate at Stewart will almost certainly be current Stewart number two Johnny Herbert.
The Briton was rumoured to be on his way out of the team after a string of disastrous races have seen him finish only five times in 12 outings and his drive was expected to go to either Mika Salo, currently Irvine's number two, or Stewart's promising test driver Luciano Burti.
However, it now seems certain that the team will honour the final year of Herbert's two-year contract and allow him race alongside Irvine. Irvine's championship hopes took another nosedive on Sunday when he could only manage fourth place at the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa. But while he collected just three points from a poor weekend, consolation came in the shape of championship rival Mika Hakkinen failing to take maximum points after he was shunted into second place by victorious team-mate David Coulthard.
Over the last two grands prix Irvine has seen an eight-point lead over Hakkinen demolished and while he only trails the defending champion by a single point, the expected return of Michael Schumacher at Monza is likely to further dent the Irishman's chances of securing the world title as confusion over team orders becomes a factor at Ferrari once more. McLaren boss Ron Dennis has defended Coulthard's action at the start of Sunday's race. Hakkinen was visibly upset by the outcome of the race and later insisted in meeting with Dennis and Coulthard to review video footage of the incident. However, while Hakkinen has always been seen as the favoured driver within McLaren, Dennis chose to back the Scot.
The McLaren team manager admitted that the collision between the two drivers was Hakkinen's fault and added that the Finn was fortunate the error had not cost him dearer.
