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Formula One: What they're saying about the 'Ferrari Verdict'

25 October 1999

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

INDIANAPOLIS-- The Formula One World Championship will be decided in the season-ending Japanese Grand Prix after the FIA Court of Appeal overturned the decision to disqualify the Ferraris of Eddie Irvine and Michael Schumacher from the Malaysian Grand Prix.

Irvine and Schumacher had finished first and second in that race, respectively, but were disqualified because officials deemed that the turning vanes, also known as barge boards or air deflectors, were one centimeter (.39 of an inch) beyond regulation limits.

The Japanese Grand Prix is Oct. 31 at Suzuka. Had the Ferraris remained disqualified, Mika Hakkinen, the provisional winner of the race, would have had enough points to clinch the Drivers Championship, and West McLaren-Mercedes would have won the Constructors Championship. The revised points standings, however, put Irvine in the lead of the championship with 70 points to Hakkinens 66. Ferrari leads the manufacturers race with 118 points to McLarens 114.

In its appeal heard Oct. 22 in Paris on Oct. 23, Ferrari was able to prove that its deflectors were within the 5-millimeter (.195 of an inch) tolerances allowed by the rules.

FIA president Max Mosley later explained what had happened at hearing. "Ferrari came with a very accurate jig," Mosley said, "and were able to show the court that the turning vane, when at a certain angle to the car, had no dimension which exceeded the tolerance of 5 mm. That is to say that when the vane is slightly turned at an angle the dimension, the shadow, on one side decreases and on the other side increases. They were able to show that all the relevant dimensions were within the 5-mm tolerance.

"In addition to that they criticized, I think with some justification, our methods of measurement. There was also criticism by the court as to the clarity of the regulation itself. Those two criticisms, of the methods of measurement and of the clarity of regulation, are going to be looked into very carefully.

"Having regard to the fact that the dimensions in no part of the turning vane exceeded the tolerance allowed by the regulations, and having regard to the uncertainty introduced by the methods of measurement and the wording of the regulation itself, the Court of Appeal decided to overturn the decision of the stewards and therefore the original result of the race stands in its entirety."

What follows are excerpts of statements by some of the parties involved.

West McLaren-Mercedes: "We were very surprised to learn the day before the hearing that Ferrari had decided to argue that they had, contrary to their previous admissions, not infringed the Technical Regulations at all. This argument was based on a submission that the FIA technical equipment and procedures were inadequate and an interpretation of the Technical Regulations in conflict with the previous accepted understanding within Formula One, including that of the FIA Race Director and FIA F1 Technical Delegate.

"Against this background the West McLaren-Mercedes team is surprised and disappointed that the FIA International Court of Appeal has upheld the appeal. The West McLaren-Mercedes team accepts the decision of the FIA International Court of Appeal and will now travel to the Japanese Grand Prix determined to win the Drivers and Constructors Championships."

Ron Dennis, managing director, TAG McLaren Group: "I believe, along with probably every technical director in Formula One, that the manufacturing tolerance referred to under article 3:12:6 of the Technical Regulations has no bearing on any other aspect of the car other than the vertical flatness of the horizontal surfaces that form the underside of the vehicle. We think the push for our sport has inevitably become quite commercial. Everybody wants to have an exciting race in Japan, but I think that the price we have paid for that one race is too great."

Mika Hakkinen, driver, West McLaren-Mercedes: "The events of the last week are now behind us and I am, as always, focusing on the next race. I am looking forward to the Japanese Grand Prix, and I will do my best to win the race and the World Championship."

Mercedes-Benz: "With great surprise, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport takes note of the FIA Court of Appeals verdict. We are disappointed because this verdict has created a basis on which other precedents may occur, and the credibility of the top category in motorsport can be doubted by critics.

"This carries a lot more weight than the fact that this verdict will allow a thrilling World Championship finale in Suzuka, in which two drivers still have the chance to clinch the title on their own accord. It will then have to be decided whether the top category in motorsport is organized on the basis of unambiguous rules and regulations which are accepted without reservations by all teams which enter cars in the Formula One World Championship.

"In the case on hand, we felt, along with many motorsport experts, that there was no room for interpretation. The interpretation of the regulations in this way will therefore inevitably raise numerous questions among the international media, the interested public throughout the world and Formula One critics.

"Irrespective of todays decision, our team will continue to prepare for the seasons last race in Suzuka, Japan, and will, in conformity with the existing sporting rules, do everything in its power to win the race, thereby proving that it is possible to win the World Championship while observing existing rules and regulations."

Eddie Irvine, driver, Ferrari: "Its fantastic. Its a triumph for the whole team, especially as I never thought Ferrari could be considered to have broken the rules."

Luca Montezemolo, president, Ferrari: "This verdict reaffirms the values of the sport which has inspired Ferrari over 50 years and restores to us and our fans the great victory achieved on the track, which confirms the quality of our work.

"We worked quietly in order to demonstrate to the Court in a professional and incontrovertible manner the fundamental truth which led to the decision which has put to rights so many unjust interpretations leveled against us these past few days, about which I was very unhappy.

"Ferrari appreciates the seriousness and high level of professionalism with which the FIA Court of Appeal has dealt with this case. Now, all our energies are devoted to trying to win the final and decisive Japanese Grand Prix."

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