Ferrari suffer shock double disqualification as bargeboard-gate ignites – On This Day

Ferrari's dominant one-two finish at the 1999 Malaysian Grand Prix was stripped away hours after the chequered flag, 27 years ago today, in one of the most dramatic post-race controversies of the decade.

Eddie Irvine had crossed the line first at Sepang, with Michael Schumacher completing the German's return from injury by following him home in second. The result appeared to hand Ferrari a near-decisive boost in both championships. 

But scrutineers found that the bargeboard deflectors on both cars breached Article 3.12.1 of the technical regulations, with the bottom shadow plates falling around 10 millimetres short of the required coverage area.

The stewards' finding relied on measurements taken trackside with a single graduated ruler, which judged the bodywork to sit outside the permitted reference plane. On that basis, both Ferraris were thrown out of the results entirely.

The disqualification briefly reshuffled the entire championship picture. With Irvine and Schumacher's points wiped out, Mika Hakkinen was mathematically champion and McLaren had the constructors' title sewn up, with one round still to run.

Ferrari's appeal overturns the double disqualification

Ferrari immediately lodged an appeal, and the FIA International Court of Appeal convened in Paris just five days later, on 22 October. The verdict followed on 23 October: the stewards' decision was overturned and the original 1-2 finish fully reinstated.

Ferrari's case centred on Article 3.12.6, which the team argued granted a manufacturing tolerance of plus or minus 5 millimetres across the relevant bodywork, including the bargeboards. 

The court agreed that the trackside measuring methods used at Sepang lacked sufficient precision, and demonstrations during the hearing showed that proper measurement fixtures placed the deflector deviation comfortably inside that 5mm margin.

The ruling reopened a championship fight that had seemingly been settled by the stewards. Irvine headed into the season finale at Suzuka four points clear of Hakkinen, while the restored points also handed Ferrari back the lead in the constructors' standings.

That advantage proved decisive at Suzuka, where Ferrari secured its first constructors' championship since 1983. 

The drivers' title, however, slipped away regardless: Hakkinen's victory in Japan was enough to clinch his second consecutive crown, leaving Irvine to settle for runner-up despite the Malaysian reprieve.