Saturday October 16th, 1999

Another Cracker?

Qualifying analysis, by Michele Lupini

In one of the most significant qualifying sessions in recent F1 history, Michael Schumacher stormed back into the Grand Prix fold with a dominant performance that's shaken the establishment in no uncertain terms. "We expected to be strong, but to be a whole second ahead is clearly surprising," said Michael. "I am Sure there are reasons for it, but the car is very good, so it isn't really a surprise to be at the front. When I saw the gap, I decided to save my last set of tyres for the race."

Eddie Irvine underlined his team's domination by completing an all-scarlet front row, rewarding the team's intensive testing and development program during the past three weeks. "We have shown the Ferrari's potential - it's come at just the right time," mused the Ulsterman.

Irvine's position, along with his teammate's incredible comeback form in Malaysia this morning, should serve to unsettle the bookies' odds for the world championship, which until now looked decidedly more silver than red. But the silver arrows are not far away from the flying Ferraris, with Hakkinen's henchman also leading the way for McLaren-Mercedes.

But Mika was content with fourth, albeit three down from his regular spot. "Of course I'd prefer to be further up the grid, but fourth is no problem. The most important thing is the race and I'm focused on achieving the best result."

David Coulthard pipped his teammate at the post, getting onto his final lap with only five seconds to spare. "We have not found a good combination," David said, "I think I could have gone quicker," as he pushed an impressive European GP winner, Johnny Herbert, back to the third row alongside his Stewart-Ford teammate, Rubens Barrichello.

"I feel so much more confident after my victory at Nurburgring," said Johnny. "It's a real shame that Coulthard relegated me to fifth place on his last lap." Barrichello added, "being on the third row is a great effort by the team."

Seventh was Alexander Wurz, re-establishing the late season order in the Supertec/Mecachrome/Playlife second division too, the Benetton man sharing the fourth row with the usual leader of that pack, Williams' Ralf Schumacher.

Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve made it four F1 World Champions in the top ten, for Jordan and BAR, respectively ninth and tenth, Jacques slipping down the field after heading the pack on Saturday. Then came Fisichella, Panis, Zonta and an obviously disappointed Heinz-Harald Frentzen who's fourteenth in the Jordan does nothing for his title aspirations. "The cockpit protection came loose as I braked for the first corner and I spun off." He qualified in the Jordan mule.

Alesi, Zanardi, Diniz and Trulli follow Frentzen, with the usual suspects bringing up the rear.

But the head of the grid prepares a stunning scenario for both tomorrow's Malaysian Grand Prix and the world championship, which clearly now appears poised to go right down to the wire in Japan.

Michael Schumacher wasn't even racing a fortnight ago. Was it just Ferrari propaganda to help unsettle McLaren, something the events of the past three weeks must have served to do, or did Schumacher's condition really turn around so dramatically?

Either way, the German's fate must now be sealed as one of the true all-time greats in the sport, for a comeback like this underlines everything the man is about, and confirms, beyond any reasonable doubt, that Michael Schumacher is right back at the very pinnacle of Formula One racing.

But tomorrow's inaugural Malaysian Grand Prix is unlikely to see a Michael Schumacher victory, for since he's missed much of the season since that painful afternoon in England, and he's now out of the title chase. But Michael will be looking after his team's interests for the rest of the year – trying his best to help teammate Eddie Irvine and Ferrari to the drivers and makers championships in 1999. "I plan to race flat out to the end and then make any decisions that may be necessary. It should be interesting,"

For Mika Hakkinen and McLaren-Mercedes, this is not good news, as their job to secure back to back World Championships now appears to be a far more significant task than what it seemed in the weeks leading up to the Malaysian GP.

But for F1 fans the world over, that's great news indeed, as we all witness one of the most intriguing and hardest-fought world championships continue right down to the wire.

Wherever you are in the world, make the effort to follow tomorrow's Malay action. It has all the ingredients of being a most exciting Grand Prix...