Irvine back and again just doesn't shut up - 10th May 18:18pm GMT

Michael Schumacher has been branded Formula One’s most boring world champion by his former team-mate Eddie Irvine.

Ulsterman Irvine drove alongside Schuey at Ferrari for four years before leaving at the end of 1999 and retiring in 2002.

Seven-time world champion Schumacher has had a dreadful start to the season, failing to finish three of the opening five races.

His best result was second to championship leader Fernando Alonso at the San Marino.

Schumacher was on the Spaniard’s exhaust for the last 30 miles but could not get by.

But Irvine says that a fired-up Schumacher would rather have crashed than settle for second.

He said: “Michael is the most boring world champion ever. I couldn’t believe him at Imola.

“All he had to do was pass him down the inside and ask Alonso the question: Do you want to crash or finish second?

“Michael has done worse things than that. There was no point finishing second to Alonso.

“Maybe he’s getting past it. Three years ago he would have done it.”

Irvine feels young guns Alonso and McLaren’s Kimi Raikkonen — winner of Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix — are ready to prevent Schumacher from clinching an eighth crown.