Following Damon Hill's announcement that he will indeed race at the British Grand Prix next week, Ferrari driver Eddie Irvine, notorious for his lack of tact, lashed out at Hill, saying he would have been "better off going to Silverstone and doing a few laps in the road car and waving at everyone."

Irvine went on to say that Hill is racing next week for the wrong reasons, and warned the ex-World Champion from the repercussions of this. "He is going to get murdered," said the Ulsterman. "If you look at his performances up to now what's the point? It is probably down to business at the end of the day, Damon is obviously paid a lot of money and if he walks away he probably does not get the money or something. "But if you have to go to that first corner at Silverstone trying to stay on Michael's tail, no amount of money in the world can make you do it if you don't want to. You are seeing that with Damon. Damon is paid a lot of money to drive the car but he does not seem able to pick up the speed. It must be because he doesn't want to do it.

"It's bad for Jordan. There is a team that really deserve to be third in the world championship and Damon is not really helping. I don't think you can decide to retire at the end of the year. If you make the announcement, then just go on the day. Say I don't want to be in the car, that's it. But it's for him to decide, it's not my problem. As long as he qualifies behind me and doesn't hold me up as I go to lap him, I don't care."