FIA holds hearing on Ferrari appeal with Irvine present

Andreas Evagora

Friday, Oct. 22, 1999 | 7:57 a.m.

PARIS - Ferrari officials met with FIA's International Court of Appeal today in their bid to overturn the team's disqualification from last Sunday's Malaysian Grand Prix.

Ferrari driver Eddie Irvine and sporting director Jean Todt were among the team's delegation arriving at the Hotel Crillon - Paris' most exclusive hotel - where the five-member court was meeting.

Ferrari team officials declined to talk with dozens of reporters congregated outside the hotel. It was unclear if the FIA would make a statement today, although it scheduled a news conference Saturday morning to announce the decision.

Ferrari cars, driven by Irvine and Michael Schumacher, finished first and second in Malaysia, but were disqualified because their aerodynamic deflectors didn't comply with FIA regulations.

The decision gave victory - and the 1999 Formula One championship - to Mika Hakkinen, the McLaren driver who finished third in the race.

A win for Irvine would have given the British driver a four-point lead heading into the final race of the season, the Japanese Grand Prix on Oct. 31.

Ferrari says that the wind deflectors, while unauthorized, didn't give its drivers any advantage, and that the punishment is far too severe since it effectively hands the title to McLaren.

It needs to convince the panel to invoke FIA's murky clause on "exceptional circumstances" to overturn a stewards' decision.

The panel is being chaired by Jose Macedo e Cunha of Portugal. Other members are: Gerhard Nurscher of Austria, Philipp Roberti de Winghe of Belgium, Vassilis Koussis of Greece and Jan van Rosmalen of the Netherlands.

The FIA described the five people as knowledgeable of auto racing, but no longer involved in the sport.