Schumacher wins pole in Formula One Japanese Grand Prix

K.P. Hong

Sunday, Oct. 31, 1999 | 1:06 a.m.

SUZUKA, Japan - Two-time Formula One champion Michael Schumacher, who has the pole for the season-ending Japanese Grand Prix, could be a valuable blocker Sunday for Ferrari teammate Eddie Irvine.

It is the Irishman who has a chance to give the Italian automaker its first series driving championship in 20 years. But Schumacher, who won the title twice while he was with Benetton, could be the key to Irvine's success.

Although Schumacher would love to win the race, the most important thing he can do is make sure McLaren's Mika Hakkinen does not. Hakkinen, the defending series champion, starts second.

A victory gives him the title. A second-place finish and a result of fourth of better by Irvine gives him the crown. Hakkinen, who trails Irvine by four points, cannot win the title by finishing third or worse.

"We will see how we can improve his situation for tomorrow," Schumacher said Saturday. "That is one strategy, and at the moment things look good for that."

Schumacher is the focus because Irvine crashed after qualifying fifth, meaning the Irishman would have to pass four cars - no easy task on the 3.644-mile Suzuka circuit - to reach the front. If Schumacher wins and Hakkinen is second, Irvine will have to get by only the Jordan of Heinz-Harald Frentzen, who starts fourth.

That might prove the easiest of his tasks. Should Frentzen move up a spot, Irvine might encounter David Coulthard, Hakkinen's teammate, who starts third.

Coulthard is excited about his possible role in the season-finale.

"It is obviously beneficial for the team that Eddie has had a bad qualifying session, so maybe I will be able to help a little bit in the race, to try and give Mika the four plus points that he needs," Coulthard said.

Schumacher's pole, achieved when he got around the twisting road course in 1 minute, 37.470 seconds, was the 23rd of his career. It certainly is the most important of the year for Ferrari, which last took the constructors title in 1983.

A victory by Schumacher could achieve that even if Irvine fails to win the driving title.

Hakkinen would already be the champion had an appeals court not overruled race officials who disqualified the 1-2 Ferrari finish two weeks ago in the Malaysian Grand Prix. He knows what he wants to do Sunday.

"Go to the starting grid and see what happens at the lights," he said of the procedure that sends each field toward the vital first turn. "Once they change we can start planning. Those are the first tactics."

Irvine was not hurt, but his car was damaged after he lost control at a curb, skidded off the track into the tire barrier and spun three times.