| | MARANELLO, Italy -- Ferrari won its first constructors' title since 1983 on Sunday, but it was little consolation for thousands of fans who had invaded the team's
home town in the hope of greater glory.
Some 30,000 crowded the streets of Maranello, doubling the population for the night in what has become an annual pilgrimage for long-suffering fans whose team last won the Formula One drivers' title in 1979.
They came from all over Italy and beyond, with Germans, Austrians, Belgians and Swiss prominent and all hoping that Eddie Irvine might take the title from Finland's Mika Hakkinen in season-ending Japanese Grand Prix.
It was not to be, with the McLaren driver winning the race and clinching the title by two points.
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“ |
I doubt that Schumacher really wanted to
win today, after all he wants to be the man who finally brings back the championship to
Ferrari. ” |
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— Ferarri fan |
With five laps remaining Paolo put his jacket on and rose to leave, "I doubt that Schumacher really wanted to win today, after all he wants to be the man who finally brings back the championship to Ferrari," he said.
German Michael Schumacher, the No. 1 at Ferrari until he broke his leg at Silverstone in July, finished second in the race behind Hakkinen and ahead of Irvine in third.
While similar bitterness was not hard to find among the fans, Alberto Beccari, president of the Maranello Ferrari Club struck a more balanced tone.
"There were two titles at stake and we won one of them, which was the minimum. Schumacher was great, Irvine was normal, he is the second driver and he drove like the second driver," he said.
The narrow streets had been packed from midnight onwards and the town center was eventually closed to traffic, as huge numbers gathered in two squares to watch the race on giant screens.
Many people had slept in the street overnight, some of them covering themselves with giant Ferrari flags as blankets.
Everywhere was the familiar red flag of Ferrari as fans prepared for what they seemed convinced would be a celebration.
T-shirt vendors even sold "Ferrari World Champions 1999" shirts prior to the race.
Over 500 members of the Maranello Ferrari club and workers from the Ferrari factory packed into a garage, squeezing between spare Ferrari parts and used tires, to watch the race together in the early hours of the morning.
Ferrari clubs are the backbone of the fanatical support that follows the team around the world, but the enthuasiasm of the members soon waned once it became clear that Hakkinen was in no mood to give up pole position.
Marc, who had driven from his home in Luxembourg was let down by the result.
"If, like me, you came here for the race and for the atmosphere and a celebration then of course you are disappointed. The constructors' title is no consolation, it is
not important," he said.
Local organisers said they had prepared for an all day party in the town in the event of a Ferrari victory, but most fans tried to leave Maranello as soon as they could. | |
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