Malaysia 1999: Qualifying
Times
P. No Driver Team - Car Time/Laps
1. 3 M Schumacher Ferrari 1:39.688 200.136 km/h
2. 4 Irvine Ferrari 1:40.635 + 0:00.947
3. 2 Coulthard McLaren Mercedes 1:40.806 + 0:01.118
4. 1 Hakkinen McLaren Mercedes 1:40.866 + 0:01.178
5. 17 Herbert Stewart Ford 1:40.937 + 0:01.249
6. 16 Barrichello Stewart Ford 1:41.351 + 0:01.663
7. 10 Wurz Benetton Playlife 1:41.444 + 0:01.756
8. 6 R Schumacher Williams Supertec 1:41.558 + 0:01.870
9. 7 Hill Jordan Mugen-Honda 1:42.050 + 0:02.362
10. 22 Villeneuve BAR Supertec 1:42.087 + 0:02.399
11. 9 Fisichella Benetton Playlife 1:42.110 + 0:02.422
12. 18 Panis Prost Peugeot 1:42.208 + 0:02.520
13. 23 Zonta BAR Supertec 1:42.310 + 0:02.622
14. 8 Frentzen Jordan Mugen-Honda 1:42.380 + 0:02.692
15. 11 Alesi Sauber Petronas 1:42.522 + 0:02.834
16. 5 Zanardi Williams Supertec 1:42.885 + 0:03.197
17. 12 Diniz Sauber Petronas 1:42.933 + 0:03.245
18. 19 Trulli Prost Peugeot 1:42.948 + 0:03.260
19. 21 Gene Minardi Ford 1:43.563 + 0'03.875
20. 14 de la Rosa Arrows TWR 1:43.579 + 0:03.891
21. 20 Badoer Minardi Ford 1:44.321 + 0:04.633
22. 15 Takagi Arrows TWR 1:44.637 + 0:04.949
107% time : 1:46.666
FIA Press Release
Qualifying, 13.00 to 14.00
Weather conditions: very hot and sunny
Michael Schumacher takes pole for Ferrari
Michael Schumacher took the 22nd pole position of his career here at Sepang this afternoon with a best lap of 1m 39.688s being 0.947s ahead of his Ferrari F399 team-mate Eddie Irvine. "I had no physical problems," said Schumacher. "I did 40 laps yesterday and the same today. With the higher track temperature the conditions were very slippery, but the car was good." Irvine had a spin and both drivers did not complete their allotted runs in order to save tyres for tomorrow. "I could not have beaten Michael anyway," said Eddie. Michael also confirmed that he would let Eddie overtake if need be.
Coulthard pips Hakkinen for third
David Coulthard (1m 40.806s) outqualified his McLaren-Mercedes team-mate Mika Hakkinen (1m 40.866s) for third place on the grid, speculation that they were the only runners using the harder Bridgestone compound neither being confirmed nor denied by the team management. Both drivers had problems fine tuning their chassis balance. "We haven't got the combination of fast, slow and medium balance we need," said Coulthard, "and I had too much understeer in the second to last corner. In the race I will obviously let Mika past to improve his chances for the championship."
Stewarts fifth and sixth
The Stewart-Ford SF3s of Johnny Herbert (1m 40.937s) and Rubens Barrichello (1m 41.351s) set fifth and sixth fastest times. "I am really quite optimistic about the race tomorrow," said the Nurburgring winner. Barrichello finished the session annoyed with Jean Alesi after an incident out on the circuit.
Wurz's Benetton takes seventh
Alexander Wurz wound up seventh fastest in his Benetton-Playlife (1m 41.444s), well satisfied after a rear suspension modification improved his car's handling. Giancarlo Fisichella (11th/1m 42.110s) lost four tenths of a second after a slide at turn nine on his quickest lap.
Williams struggling
Although Ralf Schumacher strung together a strong final lap to qualify eighth on 1m 41.558s, both he and Alex Zanardi (16th/1m 42.885s) struggled with their cars. "The handling characteristics of our cars over the last two years shows up at their worst on these types of circuit," said Patrick Head.
Frustration for Jordan
Heinz-Harald Frentzen had a particularly frustrating time, eventually qualifying a disappointing 14th on 1m 42.380s after spinning off in his Jordan 199 race car after its headrest came loose. He then took over the spare, originally prepared for Damon Hill (9th/1m 42.050s) but had to make brake balance adjustments and could never get in the swing of things.
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