
PARIS, OCT 23: The race for the Formula One driver8217;s title was thrown wide open here on Saturday when Ferrari won their appeal against the team8217;s exclusion from last weekend8217;s Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix.
The decision means Ferrari driver Eddie Irvine 70 goes into the last Grand Prix of the season with a four-point lead over his only rival, McLaren Mercedes driver Mika Hakkinen 66. Irvine is bidding to win the first World title for Ferrari in 20 years since Jody Scheckter8217;s 1979 triumph.
No further appeal is possible in the case.
Irvine and double World champion Michael Schumacher finished first and second in Malaysia, but their result was wiped out after post-race scrutiny showed their car8217;s deflector panels were a centimetre narrower than allowed.
FERRARI DID NO WRONG: Max Mosley, president of FIA, the sport8217;s GOVERNING body, said here: 8220;Rules are rules. The rules have been followed. Ferrari did nothing wrong.8221; He added that Ferrari had proven to the five-man independent inquiryduring Friday8217;s four-hour hearing that the part in question was within the rules laid down by FIA.
8220;It was right on the limit one centimetre but it was legal,8221; said Mosley. 8220;The court of appeal decided to overturn the decision of the Stewards and therefore the original result of the race stands in its entirety. That is to say, the drivers have the points that they earned in the race and so does the constructor.8221;