Irvine to start new F1 team
The Ulsterman, and billionaire Russian backer Roustam Tariko, popped up in the grand prix paddocks last year, looking into buying Jordan or Minardi.
But now, Irvine, 40, has told the 'Irish Independent' that the pair are looking at starting a team from scratch, perhaps in 2008.
''There are no teams for sale at the minute,'' he told the newspaper. ''It will be a great challenge, but Roustam wants to do it and we've got the money.''
44-year-old entrepreneur Tariko made his fortune in vodka, but now also owns a Russian bank.
''I believe in emotional branding,'' he told the International Herald Tribune newspaper recently.
Irvine is also a wealthy man, who lined his pockets with huge Ferrari and Jaguar retainers but also via his global property empire.
03/04/06 Eddie Irvine has announced plans to set up a brand new F1 team with Russian vodka and banking billionaire Roustam Tariko by 2008.
"We are looking at starting a team from scratch as there are no teams for sale at the minute," Irvine told the Irish Independent on Saturday.
"It will be a great challenge, but Roustam wants to do it and we've got the money.
"Roustam needs the branding that F1 can bring him. He wants a Russian team and he wants to take his brand and turn them into world brands.
"It's not going to be easy. It is going to be very, very difficult. But if I go back into F1 I am going to be married to it for a long time. It is definitely a challenge I want to go with."