Trying to decide your perfect Formula 1 driver partnership is nearly impossible given how many unbelievable racers have participated in the sport.
Several names frequently come up in these discussions, including Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher and Ayrton Senna.
However, speaking on the Nailing The Apex Podcast, the former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has included a surprise name in his three-man shortlist.
There are so many factors that go into deciding who has been the best driver in Formula 1’s history.
Comparing champions across different eras can be impossible and even assessing drivers on the same grid in different cars can be a difficult task.
However, it also depends on what criteria you’re using to determine who you want driving in your ideal line-up.
Guenther Steiner identified two of F1’s greats to put into his team but also admitted he would love to include Eddie Irvine.
The Northern Irish-born driver only won four races during his Formula 1 career but that doesn’t tell the full story of how quick he was.
He had the difficult task of competing alongside Schumacher at Ferrari and more than held his own in tough circumstances.
Guenther Steiner names Eddie Irvine in his ‘perfect’ F1 team
Eddie Irvine took a unique route into Formula 1 as a European driver, primarily competing in Japan before earning a call-up from Jordan in 1993.
He was the runner-up in Japanese Formula 3000 that year before driving his first full campaign with Eddie Jordan’s team the following year.
Irvine finished 12 in the Drivers’ Championship in 1995 and that earned him a move to Ferrari the following year alongside Michael Schumacher.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Scuderia Ferrari from team principal to factory
The German driver earned preferential treatment throughout their time together, something that put David Coulthard off ever joining the team.
Irvine came with a race of winning the 1999 Drivers’ Championship after Schumacher’s season ended early due to injury.
Had Ferrari swapped Irvine and Schumacher during the final race in Japan that year, he would have finished level on points with eventual champion Mika Hakkinen.
Guenther Steiner had immense respect for Irvine after they worked together towards the end of his career at Jaguar and would have him in his perfect team alongside two greats of Formula 1: Ayrton Senna and Niki Lauda.
It’s a sign of just how impressive the 58-year-old was during his time in F1.
Eddie Irvine is an underrated Formula 1 great
Asked about his dream team from any point in F1 history, Steiner said: “At any point in history is difficult to say because you’ve got the heroes and legends but we can answer it.
“I mean I would have Niki Lauda because he was a friend and I have to be careful here because would you do it to win or would you do it to enjoy yourself?
“If I was to do it to enjoy myself I would get Eddie Irvine back because you just will have a good time with him.
“But otherwise, if you want to win the championship I would take Niki and Ayrton Senna.”
Steiner was asked to elaborate on choosing Irvine and added: “I mean the guy is just a machine in doing things and saying things he shouldn’t be doing!
“But no, he was also a good driver, don’t take that away from him.
“I had my first year in F1 with Eddie [Irvine] and you never forget these things.
“We still have a good relationship and it was a very interesting time, to say the least, we were nowhere but we still tried to enjoy whatever we did.
Asked if he had any good stories he could tell about Irvine that wouldn’t get him in trouble, Steiner simply said: “No! Everything gets you in trouble!”
The post ‘A machine’: Guenther Steiner names 4-time race winner alongside Niki Lauda and Ayrton Senna in perfect F1 team appeared first on F1 Oversteer.
