An unfair Championship fight
Is it fair that Mika Hakkinen should be crowned world champion because of a 'mistake' by Ferrari?
by Michael Bass
Is Eddie Irvine's championship ruined by a single centimetre error on a barge-board?
Following Sunday's Malaysian Grand Prix, the two Ferraris of Eddie Irvine and Michael Schumacher were disqualified from the race provisionally handing the world championship to the current world championship Mika Hakkinen. The decision came after technical delegate Jo Bauer says that in his opinion, the bodywork on the Ferraris did not conform to FIA regulations.
More to the point, however, if Ferrari's appeal fails, then Mika Hakkinen could find himself being crowned world champion for the second time in his career. Hakkinen has stated, however, that he is unhappy with the way he would be crowned world champion: "It is not the way I would like to win the title. It does not feel good to me."
Irvine has undoubtedly worked hard all season, first to help team-mate Schumacher win the title until his leg breaking accident at Silverstone. In Schumacher's absence, ex-Arrows driver Mika Salo assisted Irvine, driving some great races, proving is earlier claims he was capable of excellence, given the right car. Another factor to Eddie's great season this year was the help from statistical director Ross Brawn.
The qualifying session at the new Sepang circuit proved good for Irvine and Ferrari, and particularly Schumacher. Irvine looked very comfortable winning the Malaysian Grand Prix, albeit with Schumacher's assistance, so the last thing he needed was any controversy that could affect the highlight of his career - a championship win. If Ferrari's appeal fails, then will the FIA consider only disqualifying Ferrari from the Constructors Championship, leaving the drivers points for Drivers Championship?
However, if Ferrari's appeal succeeds, it remains to ask if it a genuine mistake by the team, was it planned? Would anyone have respect for the laws, if Ferrari could get away with contravening them, when other teams cannot? The FIA's appeal court will reveal the outcome of the World Championship on Friday, and particularly if Mika Hakkinen is to be world champion, then many people will opt not to watch the last race of the season. Why get up early for a race when the Championship's validity is decided off track, not on it? Why watch a race where the main protagonists rely on school-ground tale-telling to score points, instead of racing for positions? Why even bother to switch on for a processional affair, when there's better action in F3, F3000 and the BTCC? So it's Formula One - without respect, it becomes Formula None. And that's where it's heading.
Article is written by and copyright (c) 1999 Michael Bass.
Michael is a reliable, kind and generous chap, who enjoys school to a reasonable extent. He is working hard to gain A-levels and start a career as a newspaper journalist. His hobbies include Formula One, photography, writing and bike riding, to name a few.
Views expressed in these articles do not necessarily coincide with the views of the F1 Rumors Team.
|
