By this stage of any competition dark horses are supposed to have come up on the outside rail, put in a brave and breathless but ultimately futile leadership bid and gracefully retired back to the fringes where their pluck would later be rewarded with smiles of patient indulgence. Running to that kind of form obviously hasn't occurred to Heinz Harald Frentzen though and yesterday at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza the Jordan driver abandoned the stealth tactics that have seen him lay constant claim to a third place season finish and bolted into the leading pack, garnering Jordan their second win this year and 10 points that put him within 10 points of the championship lead.
On a day in which championship leader Mika Hakkinen suffered a confounding attack of fallibility, and on a weekend in which Ferrari were at odds with themselves and the Monza circuit, Frentzen seized the opportunity with both hands and aimed his car resolutely towards the chequered flag. Twenty three laps after inheriting the lead from a beached and retired Hakkinen and those hand were steepled in thanks as he flashed past the jubilant Jordan team and into real title contention.
Frentzen's reward is a tantalising but equally tormenting glimpse of the promised land which will be handed over in three races' time in Japan and while the German has been one of the season's most consistent points scorers the German still faces the monolithic might of McLaren.
Yesterday, though, the monolith showed a few more cracks as David Coulthard got away poorly and never recovered after being overtaken by Alex Zanardi, Ralf Schumacher and Ferrari's Mika Salo. The Scot finished the day in fifth, after being artfully denied an overtaking chance by Stewart's Rubens Barrichello for the bulk of the race.
But if Coulthard displayed flaws, then team-mate Mika Hakkinen crumbled when the pressure was at its least intense. Thirty laps in, and with a comfortable and consistent seven-second lead over Frentzen, the Finn misselected a gear and spun out at the Rettifilio chicane to leave the way open for Frentzen.
If Frentzen was celebrating his ascension into the exalted ranks of title contenders last night, Eddie Irvine, who has stood in those ranks for the past two months, will at least allow himself a wry smile of satisfaction at the day's outcome.
Disastrously uncompetitive all weekend, with Irvine 16th and Salo 18th on motivation-sapping Friday, rumours abounded that the team had given up on Irvine's quest for the title and even a comparative recovery to sixth and eighth in qualifying couldn't dampen the speculation and the feeling that the Irishman's title race was run.
By yesterday evening, Irvine was once again in joint command of the championship as he battled his intransigent F399 home to sixth and a single point. But while the Irishman's safe and secure drive reignited his title bid, all the celebrations at Ferrari were reserved for team-mate Mika Salo, the Finn scoring his second podium position for the Scuderia with a third place finish that keeps Ferrari within six points of McLaren in the constructors' championship.
With three races left and the next instalment to come at the high downforce Nurburgring, a circuit which will suit a soon to be augmented Ferrari better, both titles are still within reach of all the major players. But while Irvine and Hakkinen may only be seeing each other in their rearview mirrors, a new player has taken to the field and unlike classic dark horses, Frentzen may yet retire gracefully back into the chasing pack.
