The Formula 1 icon is renowned for his opulent lifestyle

Eddie Irvine is a keen pilot (Image: Getty)

Formula One boasts a pantheon of drivers who have been partial to an expensive extravagance. However, not many can outdo the former Ferrari and Jordan driver Eddie Irvine. The Northern Irish star’s extreme wealth often made him a divisive figure among fellow drivers and fans. Despite the intense professionalism required to succeed in F1, Irvine displayed a more lax attitude towards his personal helicopter. Remarkably, he opted to sell the aircraft after misplacing it, not once, but twice.

Irvine, now 60, spent nine years in the top tier of motorsport between 1993 and 2002, but it was his pre-F1 days that laid the foundation for his net worth, which is said to be just shy of £100million. By just 27, Irvine had already amassed a self-made fortune thanks to savvy property investments. He currently owns a staggering 40 properties worldwide.

Speaking of his penchant for luxury and his troublesome chopper, Irvine previously told Mirror Sport: “I lost it twice. I parked it and then couldn’t remember where.

“Once, I parked it in a friend’s garden and then forgot where she lived. I just drove around until I spotted the rotor blades, which is easier than finding a car in an NCP car park.”

Following his retirement from F1 in 2002, Irvine’s fortune was estimated at £160m, but it has since shrunk to around £92m. While he’s been adept at piloting helicopters and living life in the fast lane, he has opened up about what drives his opulent lifestyle.

“I love the parties, the boat, the plane, getting into nightclubs for free, getting tables at restaurants without having to queue, driving a Ferrari and getting the best-looking girls,” he famously quipped about his luxurious lifestyle. Irvine also formed ‘Eddie Irvine Sports’, an indoor sporting facility offering snooker, pool, karting, paintballing and football.

Eddie Irvine is known for his luxury lifestyle (Image: Getty)

His smart business sense means he can splash the cash whenever he desires. However, he stressed that he will save a pretty penny whenever he can. “I don’t waste money,” he said.

“If I can do something on the cheap, then I will. But I’ll go to a nightclub and if it’s £250 for a bottle of vodka, I’ll pay. I’m not going to sit there among my mates who can’t afford it, moaning about the price.”

According to GQ Australia in September 2025, Irvine was ranked the ninth-richest F1 driver of all time. While he won four races and made the podium 26 times, his extraordinary wealth in the sport is not bad going for a driver who famously never won a championship.

Irvine is best remembered for his four-year stint with Ferrari, during which he teamed up with Michael Schumacher. His most notable season came in 1999, when he secured his four Grand Prix victories and narrowly missed out on the title.