27/07/2004
NEWS STORY
The organisers of the Altech South African F1x2 Charity Grand Prix have today announced that former Ferrari, Jaguar and Jordan F1 driver, Eddie Irvine, and West McLaren Mercedes third driver, Alex Wurz, have agreed to participate in this unique festival of motor racing and entertainment that will benefit the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund and Unite Against Hunger charities.
Irvine and Wurz join a growing list of Formula One stars, past and present, who will take part in the three-day event at the Kyalami International Raceway, near Johannesburg, on August 7, 8 and 9. The line-up currently includes Johnny Herbert, Marc Gene, Nicolas Kiesa, Gianmaria Bruni, and Bas Leinders, as well as up-and-coming South African F3000 racer, Alan van der Merwe. The undoubted highlight of the exciting programme will occur on Monday, August 9, when there will be back-to-back 10-lap races featuring Minardi’s fleet of eight two-seater Formula One cars – the first time this has ever happened.
Northern Ireland’s Eddie Irvine made his F1 debut with Jordan Grand Prix in 1993, spending two further years with the team and scoring his first podium finish for them in 1995, with a third place at the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal. His big break came in 1996, however, when he was signed by Ferrari. He was soon a regular podium visitor, although his best season was 1999, when he scored victories in Australia, Austria and Malaysia, and finished second in Monaco and Britain, his efforts netting him second place in the final standings of that year’s Formula One World Drivers’ Championship.
Irvine moved to the newly branded Jaguar Racing operation for 2000, and continued to be a contender for podium positions. He remained with the team until the conclusion of the 2002 season, and although now officially retired from F1, he continues to be one of the modern sport’s best-known figures.
Alex Wurz made his first appearance in a Formula One car in 1997, when he drove for Benetton. This followed a successful junior career in Formula Three, Touring Cars and sports cars, the latter including a win in the 1996 Le Mans 24-Hour race. Demonstrating his natural pace, the young Austrian scored his first Formula One podium finish – third in Britain – in his debut season, and was a regular top-six finisher for Benetton over the next three years. In 2001, Wurz elected to move to West McLaren Mercedes, where his well-known technical abilities secured him the position of third driver with the famed Woking team. He currently remains in that role.