Irvine brands Schumacher an 'idiot'

Formula One : Eddie Irvine is the latest to put the boot into Michael Schumacher following his controversial move on Rubens …

Formula One: Eddie Irvine is the latest to put the boot into Michael Schumacher following his controversial move on Rubens Barrichello in Hungary, describing him as an "idiot".

Schumacher received a 10-place grid penalty for the Belgian Grand Prix after he "illegitimately impeded" Barrichello during an overtaking manoeuvre in the closing stages of the Hungarian GP.

The German has since apologised, but that hasn't stemmed the flow of criticism and former team-mate Irvine says Schumacher should've received a one-race ban.

"He was an idiot," Irvine told talkSPORT. "It was an idiotic manoeuvre that was extremely dangerous. It was incredible. He wasn't thinking and it was just pure arrogance that he thought he could just drive another driver into the pit wall.

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"He got punished, but I don't think he got punished enough. He should have got a one-race ban because it was one of the worst manoeuvres I've ever seen."

Schumacher's antics this year have led to speculation that his comeback could only last one season. Irvine, though, thinks he should continue.

"I don't think he should retire," he said. "He's always done stuff like this and has intimidated people for a long time, but he got away with it because he was Michael Schumacher.

"He was 'the' Michael Schumacher, but this Michael Schumacher isn't getting away with it."