Hakkinen wins disputed race, world title

Salvator Zanca

Monday, Oct. 18, 1999 | 1:36 a.m.

SEPANG, MALAYSIA - Ferrari teammates Eddie Irvine and Michael Schumacher crossed the finish line first and second at the Malaysian Grand Prix. But more than three hours after the race, they were disqualified for technical violations.

Formula One authorities said on Sunday the bodywork of the Ferraris violated rules affecting aerodynamics and the speed of the cars. A side deflector panel was detected to be in violation of the technical regulations by a fraction of an inch.

Now the decision goes to the International Automobile Federation Court of Appeals, since Ferrari asked for a review.

A statement released by the FIA in Geneva today said the court would meet in Paris on Friday at 9.30 a.m. to hear the appeal. The decision is due to be made public the following day.

If Ferrari loses its appeal, Mika Hakkinen not only wins the race, but the world title for the second straight year. The McLaren team said Hakkinen felt it would be premature to celebrate the title until his victory is upheld.

"This is not the way to win a championship, " said McLaren boss Ron Dennis, whose team also stands to win the constructors championship over Ferrari. "It is bad for the sport."

Race officials said they disqualified both Ferraris after hearing from Jean Todt, Ferrari's team manager, and FIA, the sport's governing organization.

"The car was in exactly the same technical shape as it was in the last Grand Prix in Nurburgring, Germany," Todt said. "And this car has been scrutinized every day here."

Despite Ferrari's insistence that there was no performance advantage - although the side panel is related to the aerodynamics of the car - FIA took down the numbers of the Ferraris and put up the No. 1 of Hakkinen, who crossed the line in third place in his McLaren-Mercedes.

Hakkinen's 10 points from the race give him 72 points for the season. Irvine, who thought he had a 70-66 lead entering the final race in Japan Oct. 31, still would have 60 points. A victory in Formula One is worth 10 points.

This was the first time a Formula One race was held in a predominantly Muslim country. Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad was among those attending the race at the $80 million track.

Schumacher, who let Irvine pass twice, ended up about one second behind Irvine. Hakkinen came in third in his McLaren-Mercedes, 8.7 seconds behind Schumacher.

Schumacher was returning to competition after missing the last three months because of a broken leg in a crash at the British Grand Prix in July.

"Michael basically did the hard work for me," Irvine said.

Schumacher's extra fuel load enabled him to make it to the end of the race without pitting a second time.

"It was part of the plan," Schumacher said. "We took the option of one stop. It worked out just perfectly."

Just enough as Schumacher finished with badly worn tires. He led Irvine by 6.7 seconds with five laps left.

The revised finish has Hakkinen winning with Johnny Herbert, in a Stewart-Ford, second. Rubens Barrichello, also in a Stewart-Ford, was third.

Heinz-Harald Frentzen took fourth in a Jordan-Mugen-Honda, Jean Alesi was fifth in a Sauber-Petronas and Alexander Wurz was sixth, in a Benetton-Playlife.

Hakkinen needed to win the Malaysian GP with Irvine fifth or worse to retain his world crown. If Hakkinen's victory is upheld, it would be his fifth this season and 14th of his career.

It's not the first time Irvine or Schumacher have had run-ins with FIA.

Irvine was suspended three races in 1995 after causing a crash at the Brazilian GP. Schumacher has a two-race suspension for infractions during the British GP.

In 1994 Schumacher, then with Benetton, was disqualified from the Belgian Grand Prix on a technical violation when when a wooden board underneath the car was judged too low.