Timothy Collings' Malaysian GP Race Report

Ferrari celebrated their first Formula One title double in 21 years on Sunday when newly-crowned World Champion Michael Schumacher won the Malaysian Grand Prix.

The German's victory in the last race of the season ensured the Italian team retained their Constructors' title with 170 points to McLaren's 152.

It was Schumacher's record-equalling ninth victory of a triumphant season, his fourth win in succession and the 44th of his career on a day when Ferrari extended their team record to 10 wins in one year.

Schumacher had won his third world title in Japan two weeks ago, becoming the first Ferrari driver since South African Jody Scheckter in 1979 to take the championship.

The entire team, including Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn, donned scarlet wigs in the pitlane as they cavorted afterwards during the podium celebrations.

Brawn danced on the rostrum as he collected the Constructors' trophy.

"We did it by winning which was what I really wanted to do," said the 31-year-old Schumacher. "It was a tough race all the way with David (Coulthard) pushing me hard. I didn't have a good start again and I had a lot of wheelspin. Mika (Hakkinen) was ahead of me and then I was pushed down to third when David outbraked me on the outside. So, then we had to see what we could do with the strategy.

"And luckily for us it worked out."

Hot and Humid

Schumacher came home seven-tenths of a second ahead of Briton Coulthard in a McLaren with his Ferrari teammate Brazilian Rubens Barrichello third, despite the debilitating effects of a heavy cold in the hot and humid conditions.

Schumacher's win left his final tally at 108 points, ahead of McLaren's Hakkinen on 89. Coulthard was third again on 73.

Williams finished third in the Constructors' championship with 36 points.

Schumacher's victory meant that for the first time since 1988 all the victories in the 17-race season had been shared by just two teams.

In 1988, McLaren won 15 and Ferrari just one, the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, just a few weeks after the death of their founder Enzo Ferrari.

Schumacher, in 1995 with Benetton, and Briton Nigel Mansell at Williams in 1992, had previously won nine races in a season.

Ferrari's Constructors' title gave them their 20th title altogether, a record which lifted them clear of McLaren on 19.

Former double World Champion Hakkinen finished fourth after being hit with a 10-seconds penalty for jumping the start and then storming back through the field from 18th position.

Canadian Jacques Villeneuve came home fifth for BAR but it was not quite enough for them to overhaul rivals Benetton in the Constructors' championship.

They finished level on 20 points, but Benetton took fourth place on account of their better placings during the season.

Briton Eddie Irvine finished sixth to score his and Jaguar's fourth point of an otherwise poor season.

But the Ford-owned team's day was overshadowed by a huge accident which saw Briton Johnny Herbert's Jaguar suffer a rear suspension failure and crash heavily after 48 of the 56 laps.

Herbert, in his 161st and final Grand Prix, had to be helped from the wreckage of his car, which had both rear wheels missing and was severely damaged, and carried to a stretcher. He was conscious enough to haul himself from his cockpit.

A team spokesman said he had escaped with a bruised ankle.

A collision on the opening lap accounted for three other drivers and their cars and caused the introduction of the safety car until the third lap.

The incident involved Brazilian Pedro Diniz in his Sauber, German Nick Heidfeld in his Prost and Spaniard Pedro de la Rosa in an Arrows. De la Rosa appeared to be the innocent victim after Diniz had hit Heidfeld's car.

It was also a disastrous day for the Jordan and Williams teams with both suffering double retirements.