MAY 10, 2001

Irvine warns he faces burnout without test driver

EDDIE IRVINE fears he will suffer burnout unless his Jaguar team appoint a replacement test driver for Tomas Scheckter soon.

EDDIE IRVINE fears he will suffer burnout unless his Jaguar team appoint a replacement test driver for Tomas Scheckter soon.

Irvine has been forced to perform a heavy testing schedule after Scheckter was sacked as a tester following a court appearance on charges of soliciting a prostitute.

The Ulsterman claims his performance in Austria this weekend could suffer because of his workload.

"It's important that we get a replacement test driver, because I'm going to be burnt out," Irvine told Motorsport News. "We know you can't test and race all the time, it detracts from your performance.

"I don't know if there is anyone else out there, but whoever we get, we need to get them started. The sooner you start working with them, the faster they can start giving you good information."

Jaguar's Formula Three feeder team drivers Andre Lotterer and James Courtney have been linked with the role as has former Grand Prix driver Jan Magnussen.