JULY 28, 2000

Irvine - Hakkinen the man to watch

EDDIE IRVINE has continued his war of words by ruling out David Coulthard's world title chances - and insisting Mika Hakkinen is still the man to watch.

The Ulsterman, who criticized his former Ferrari team-mate Michael Schumacher on Thursday, claimed that reigning champion Hakkinen was the main threat to the German's title chances and not Coulthard.

"I had to watch the last race while I was lying in bed in hospital and I couldn't see what was going on," Irvine said. "The last race was a very bad one for David. I don't know what the story was, but he wasn't in the same race as Mika.

"And in this business, you are only as good as your last race and Hakkinen was stonking so you would have to say Michael Schumacher is probably more worried about Hakkinen now than David."

Irvine, who finished runner-up to Hakkinen in last year's championship, urged Coulthard to get his act together immediately if he is to win his first title.

"He's going to have to get his act back together pretty quickly," he said. "It is tough trying to win a title and you have to really keep it going."