Eddie Irvine for World Champion. Sounded as likely as the late Screaming Lord Sutch for Prime Mininster. Until Silverstone.

With Michael Schumacher out of the running for at least two months because of his double fracture, Irvine has the chance of a lifetime, starting this weekend in the first part of Formula One's double header in Austria and Germany.

Looking after number one has been an Irvine motto ever since he started racing. Now he's Ferrari team leader facing the greatest challenge of his career.

This is Irvine's shop window for the future. Beat Mika Hakkinen and McLaren to the championship, and money and contracts will never be a problem again.

"If I can win the world championship, it would be just unreal," he says. "I have never felt pressure from other people trying to make me do something,"

"I have always wanted to get a result for me. That's the way I have always thought and it doesn't matter that my position in the team has changed."

"I am interested in seeing how much I can step up a gear."

'Shackles are off'

How Ferrari respond to Schumacher's absence as much as Irvine's enthusiasm will be crucial.

In the immediate aftermath of Schumacher's accident, team manager Jean Todt blamed Irvine for losing the British Grand Prix and questioned his level of performance. Hardly helpful or inspiring.

Michael Schumacher's dramatic crash has left Irvine with a chance of the title

But Irvine doesn't seem bothered. His mind is set on his new role.

"The shackles are off me now," he says. "If you know you are not the team's number one priority, it has got to have an affect."

"But the team have told me they will do everything they can to make me champion. It doesn't make a lot o f sense that because Michael is not there we should give up."

"We need to knuckle down and make less mistakes, but that might happen because Michael is not there so there is less pressure on the guys."

Maybe. But Irvine and new teammate, Mika Salo who know each other from racing together in Japan, need to hit the ground running at the A1 Ring near Zeltweg.

McLaren have won three of the last four races, including David Coulthard's moralebooster at Silverstone.

And their record at the next two circuits puts Ferrari ominously in the shade. Since they returned to form in 1997, McLaren have won in both Austria and Germany with an overall score of 42 points.

Ferrari's best result is 2nd with a grand total of only 16 points.

McLaren domination

But it's not merely race performances that Irvine and Ferrari have plenty to find over the next two weekends. It's qualifying where McLaren and Mika Hakkinen have dominated - 6 poles in 8 races.

Irvine needs that first pole position fast.

Eddie Irvine: Second at Silverstone in a British one-two

"Coulthard might come back," he says. "He won at Silverstone but you have to say Hakkinen has had the upper hand for the last year and a bit."

"He is going to be tough for DC to beat. He's going to be tough for me to beat as well. I don't think DC can beat him, but maybe I can."

The last thing Irvine needs is a Hakkinen victory. Two in a row would be desperate news. Even if he finished second twice, Irvine would be left 16 points adrift.

But Irvine - who was once late for a race because he stopped to sell a car on the way - is nothing if not determined and motivated to prove himself Ferrari's hero in their hour of need.

"It's going to be so damn difficult. But I am a lot more inspired. Before I was out there without a prize in a way."

"Now I'm out there with a target in front of me."