Eddie Irvine's contention that Ferrari are on the way back to the front was emphatically proved correct when he and his team leader Michael Schumacher routed the previously all conquering McLarens at yesterday's incident packed Argentinian Grand Prix in Buenos Aires.
Schumacher jumped for joy after his first win of the season and was joined by Irvine on the podium - the Irishman finishing behind championship leader Mika Hakkinen.
Before the race, Irvine said he believed the new wider Goodyears would put Maranello back on par with McLaren. And so it was. "We were right there with the McLarens today," he said after the race. "Saying that, the car was hard work the whole way through. I had a reasonable start and got past Frentzen after a few laps for fourth," he said of his daring manouevre.
It was classic wheel to wheel racing, inches apart through a succession of corners, until Irvine forced his way clear of the Williams. He then had Hakkinen in his sights but up ahead Coulthard slipped wide, Schumacher dived for the gap, Coulthard moved back on the German and was bounced out of contention. This moved Irvine up to third, a position he held to the end except for two laps and the pit stops.
"With about 10 laps to go I was having tyre trouble and Wurz got through," he admitted.
The Austrian powered ahead - on the limit and with no margin for error to cope with the shower encountered the very next lap. Wurz span and Irvine was back into third with the possibility of second place, as Schumacher was also caught out by the suddenly damp track and careered off the tarmac before regaining control to power out of the gravel trap, and on to his 28th grand prix win.
The Jordan team again had a poor weekend, Ralf Schumacher failing to finish and Damon Hill finishing eighth, after starting from ninth on the grid.
"It was disappointing," said Eddie Jordan. "I know the conditions were tricky but we've got to learn to stay out of trouble."
Jordan's race was characterised by mishap. Ralf spun twice while Hill rammed into the back of Johnny Herbert as they disputed ninth place. "The car was getting nervous and I spun," said the younger Schumacher. "I thought the brake pressure was gone but the team said it was okay. Then I spun again and found the top rear wishbone was broken."
Hill admitted his had not been a good race." I made a mistake at the first corner and Fisichella got me and from then on I slipped backwards. Then I was racing Herbert and he chopped across me. I felt the draught coming through the car from the hole from the broken nose. I am not happy to come back to Dublin after three races with nothing the show."
