Shut up and score more, Barrichello tells Irvine

Rubens Barrichello told Jaguar's Eddie Irvine on Thursday to shut up and concentrate more on scoring points for his team than criticising others.

"It's typical of him," said the Brazilian Ferrari driver who was labelled a "moaner" by Irvine in a recent interview with an Italian weekly magazine.

"He should just shut up and concentrate on his job and remember that when I was sitting in that car and it was white instead of green I had a lot more points than him," added Barrichello at a news conference.

"So it's just silly to be going on."

But Irvine, in later comments to reporters, refused to let the matter lie at the British Grand Prix.

"Whenever I'm asked a question I try to give a logical answer," he said. "Rubens struggled with logic.

"He complains a lot to the team and he blames everybody else but himself. He's a good driver but he is not in Michael (Schumacher)'s league."

FIRST PODIUM

Barrichello, team mates with Irvine at Jordan from 1993 to 1995, drove for Stewart between 1997 and 1999 before Ford bought the team from triple champion Jackie Stewart and renamed it Jaguar last season.

Stewart raced in white colours while Jaguar, which Irvine joined for the start of 2000 after Barrichello took his place at Ferrari, compete in British Racing Green.

The Brazilian brought Stewart a second place in Monaco in 1997 and in 1999 finished overall seventh in the championship with 21 points.

Irvine has so far scored four points this season after a third place in Monaco, Jaguar's first podium.

NOT AS FAST

Irvine was quoted in Italy's Autosprint magazine, with comments relayed on the internet, as saying that Barrichello was a moaner who was also not as fast as world champion Michael Schumacher.

"Rubens is not as fast as Michael (Schumacher), he never was and he never will be," Irvine was quoted as saying.

"When we were together at Jordan, Barrichello was a moaner, when I left Jordan he moaned. He arrived at Ferrari and he moaned. He will leave Ferrari and will moan again."

In an interview at the French Grand Prix, Irvine said he suspected Barrichello's form had dropped off.

"I think Rubens might be under-performing a bit now because, maybe it is getting to him a bit, but Michael is in a different league," he had said.

Barrichello said he had been home to Brazil with his wife, who is expecting a baby, since the French Grand Prix and had enjoyed the break.

"Luckily they only told me at the end of my holiday," he said of Irvine's comments.