Just when it seemed that he was gone for the rest of the 1999 season, Schumacher announced he would return for the Malaysian Grand Prix. Amazingly, Schumacher took pole in qualifying and then lead for most of his return race, with Irvine taking victory as team orders came into play. Suddenly, Ferrari were leading both championships, and seemed like the favourites to take both the drivers and constructors titles.

But a dark cloud loomed as a post-race inspection found that barge boards behind the Ferrari front tyres were 10 millimetres smaller than they should have been. Schumacher and Irvine were disqualified, and their Malaysian race points deducted. At this stage, Mika Hakkinen’s lead was greater than the maximum number of points available to Eddie Irvine in the final race - he was effectively crowned world champion for the second year running, and McLaren had the constructors title.

A tense week for Ferrari ensued as an appeal hearing was scheduled for the following Friday. The court found that the parts were within a 5 millimeter tolerance allowed by the FIA, and the Ferrari points were restored! Like the previous year, the 1999 Formula One season was going right down to a McLaren / Ferrari showdown in the final race at Suzuka, Japan.

An exciting qualifying session was on the cards, and Hakkinen matched Schumacher’s lap time exactly at one stage, a rare occurence showing how evenly matched the two teams’ cars were. However, Irvine’s grid placing was lower than expected after he flew off the circuit in the qualifying session and smashed the front of his race car. The grid order was Schumacher, Hakkinen, Coulthard, Frentzen and a disappointed Irvine in fifth. Fans supporting both Irvine and the Jordan team were emotionally split when the Irish driver in the spare Ferrari car was pipped by Frentzen.

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