Todt Backs "equal" Irvine.

Ferrari boss Jean Todt has lent his backing to under fire driver Eddie Irvine - and declared that there are no team orders at the Italian team.


Todt - who knows how it feels to be under attack at Ferrari - believes that Irvine's Melbourne victory proves that there is no favouritism at Maranello, and that both of its drivers are capable of winning races this season. Because of this, Todt says, there is no call for team orders, and both Irvine and team-mate Michael Schumacher are free to fight to the flag.


"Melbourne was a good answer [to Ferrari's critics]," argued the Frenchman, "because it proved that we are depending on two drivers. We are not yet in a situation where [team orders are needed because] one driver is ten points ahead of another going into the last race - let's wait until after Brazil and see what happens."


Irvine, for his part, seems to have shrugged off much of the criticism levelled at him in recent weeks, and is keen to get on with the job in hand - namely shooting for the world title. Although he knows that a second victory to follow that in Melbourne will not be as easy to achieve, the Irishman is keen to try and, at least, establish parity with team-mate Schumacher.


"Winning one race isn't enough," he said, "You've got to try to get a second one to emphasise the first and so on. It isn't always the fastest driver that wins the title - just look at McLaren in '84 when Prost was considerably quicker than Lauda, yet it was Lauda who won the championship."