McLaren team manager Ron Dennis has warned Ferrari he expects the race for the Formula One drivers' championship to be fought out in a fair manner.

Ferrari have drafted Michael Schumacher back into the team in a bid to secure both the drivers' and constructors' championship. With team-mate Eddie Irvine lying just two points adrift of McLaren's Mika Hakkinen, Schumacher will be expected to bring all his considerable talents to bear in tomorrow's Malaysian Grand Prix in an effort to help Irvine's title challenge.

Dennis, though, warned the team off any "aggressive" tactics. "I'm not expecting any professional fouls in respect to the championship," said the team manager. "The sport is under greater scrutiny than ever and we hope that we won't see the second driver used in an aggressive manner. I think the championship will be won in a fair manner."

Schumacher is likely to be employed as both battering ram and barricade for Irvine as he attempts to overhaul Hakkinen's championship lead and take the fight to an all-or-nothing final round in Suzuka, and McLaren are likely to respond with the imposition of team orders which will see David Coulthard give up his own slim championship chances to aid Hakkinen.

While the battle for the drivers' crown has been about Hakkinen and Irvine, Eddie Jordan was yesterday refusing to give up on Heinz-Harald Frentzen's chances of winning the title. The Jordan team owner said that while Frentzen's hopes had slimmed in the wake of the heartbreaking electronic failure that robbed him of potential victory at the European Grand Prix, the German could still be champion. "You'd have to say his chances are pretty slim, after what happened at the Nurburgring," he said. "But that doesn't mean we'll give up fighting."

Frentzen is 12 points behind Hakkinen, and to remain in contention would require not only a victory tomorrow but also for Hakkinen and Irvine to leave Kuala Lumpur pointless.

Frentzen, meanwhile, was getting to grips with the new Sepang circuit, and despite difficulties with both understeer and oversteer in the changeable conditions, he confessed the 5.5 km track was to his liking. "It is a demanding track, especially in this heat. You sweat a lot. It's hard to see how we stand against our nearest rivals, but I do think we will be competitive."