1998 Brazilian Grand Prix

Brazil  1998 Brazilian Grand Prix
Race details
Race 2 of 16 in the 1998 Formula One season

Date March 29, 1998
Official name XXVII Grande Prêmio Marlboro do Brasil
Location Autódromo José Carlos Pace
São Paulo, Brazil
Course Permanent racing facility
4.292 km (2.667 mi)
Distance 72 laps, 309.024 km (192.019 mi)
Weather Fine, 31 °C (88 °F)
Pole position
Driver Finland Mika Häkkinen McLaren-Mercedes
Time 1:17.092
Fastest lap
Driver Finland Mika Häkkinen McLaren-Mercedes
Time 1:19.337 on lap 65
Podium
First Finland Mika Häkkinen McLaren-Mercedes
Second United Kingdom David Coulthard McLaren-Mercedes
Third Germany Michael Schumacher Ferrari

The 1998 Brazilian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Interlagos on March 29, 1998. Mika Häkkinen, won his third straight race, with McLaren, also securing their third straight one two finish.

Report

Background

Before the race there was a furore surrounding McLaren as Ferrari had protested about its braking system - which enabled the drivers to apply the brakes on the rear wheels independently, and thus assist both turn in to corners and traction out of them. Effectively meaning that the system was a four-wheel steering device, which was banned by the FIA. McLaren announced that they would not appeal the decision. Drivers including Jacques Villeneuve and Damon Hill disliked how the device performed.[1] As a result of Ferrari's protest the team agreed not to use the system at any stage over the weekend. However team boss Ron Dennis was livid that the system had been approved on four occasions by the FIA technical delegate, Charlie Whiting, and was being declared illegal by the three stewards in office for the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Race

As soon as the race started, Mika Häkkinen stormed into the lead, and took off for a long and lonely drive, leading every lap of the Grand Prix. At the back of the grid the Arrows team had their worst weekend since Tom Walkinshaw took over with Mika Salo qualifying 20th, and Pedro Diniz qualifying last. On lap one Häkkinen led David Coulthard by over a second, and was three seconds ahead of Heinz-Harald Frentzen in third, Ralf Schumacher spun out on the first lap at the fourth corner, meaning that he had not finished a single lap, so far in the season. Eddie Irvine was ahead of the slow starting Michael Schumacher. On lap 18 Coulthard was 5 seconds behind Häkkinen. Frentzen and Schumacher, after getting past his team-mate, were 23 seconds behind the McLaren duo. Schumacher passed Frentzen at the first pit stop, but had to fight to make sure he was not lapped by the two McLarens. The McLarens were totally dominant, for the second time in as many races. Ferrari and Benetton seemed to be unable to find an answer, while reigning world champions Williams were also struggling.

Classification

Qualifying

Pos No Driver Constructor Lap Time Gap
1 8 Finland Mika Häkkinen McLaren-Mercedes 1:17.092
2 7 United Kingdom David Coulthard McLaren-Mercedes 1:17.757 +0.665
3 2 Germany Heinz-Harald Frentzen Williams-Mecachrome 1:18.109 +1.017
4 3 Germany Michael Schumacher Ferrari 1:18.250 +1.158
5 6 Austria Alexander Wurz Benetton-Playlife 1:18.261 +1.169
6 4 United Kingdom Eddie Irvine Ferrari 1:18.449 +1.357
7 5 Italy Giancarlo Fisichella Benetton-Playlife 1:18.652 +1.560
8 10 Germany Ralf Schumacher Jordan-Mugen-Honda 1:18.735 +1.643
9 14 France Olivier Panis Prost-Peugeot 1:18.753 +1.661
10 1 Canada Jacques Villeneuve Williams-Mecachrome 1:18.761 +1.669
11 9 United Kingdom Damon Hill Jordan-Mugen-Honda 1:18.988 +1.896
12 12 Italy Jarno Trulli Prost-Peugeot 1:19.069 +1.977
13 18 Brazil Rubens Barrichello Stewart-Ford 1:19.344 +2.252
14 15 United Kingdom Johnny Herbert Sauber-Petronas 1:19.375 +2.283
15 14 France Jean Alesi Sauber-Petronas 1:19.449 +2.357
16 19 Denmark Jan Magnussen Stewart-Ford 1:19.644 +2.552
17 21 Japan Toranosuke Takagi Tyrrell-Ford 1:20.203 +3.111
18 22 Japan Shinji Nakano Minardi-Ford 1:20.390 +3.298
19 23 Argentina Esteban Tuero Minardi-Ford 1:20.459 +3.367
20 17 Finland Mika Salo Arrows 1:20.481 +3.389
21 20 Brazil Ricardo Rosset Tyrrell-Ford 1:20.748 +3.656
22 16 Brazil Pedro Diniz Arrows 1:20.847 +3.755

Race

Pos No Driver Constructor Laps Time/Retired Grid Points
1 8 Finland Mika Häkkinen McLaren-Mercedes 72 1:37:11.747 1 10
2 7 United Kingdom David Coulthard McLaren-Mercedes 72 +1.102 2 6
3 3 Germany Michael Schumacher Ferrari 72 +1:00.550 4 4
4 6 Austria Alexander Wurz Benetton-Playlife 72 +1:07.453 5 3
5 2 Germany Heinz-Harald Frentzen Williams-Mecachrome 71 +1 Lap 3 2
6 5 Italy Giancarlo Fisichella Benetton-Playlife 71 +1 Lap 7 1
7 1 Canada Jacques Villeneuve Williams-Mecachrome 71 +1 Lap 10  
8 4 United Kingdom Eddie Irvine Ferrari 71 +1 Lap 6  
9 14 France Jean Alesi Sauber-Petronas 71 +1 Lap 15  
10 19 Denmark Jan Magnussen Stewart-Ford 70 +2 Laps 16  
11 15 United Kingdom Johnny Herbert Sauber-Petronas 67 Physical 14  
DSQ 9 United Kingdom Damon Hill Jordan-Mugen-Honda 70 Disqualified 11  
Ret 11 France Olivier Panis Prost-Peugeot 63 Engine 9  
Ret 18 Brazil Rubens Barrichello Stewart-Ford 56 Gearbox 13  
Ret 20 Brazil Ricardo Rosset Tyrrell-Ford 52 Gearbox 21  
Ret 23 Argentina Esteban Tuero Minardi-Ford 44 Throttle 19  
Ret 16 Brazil Pedro Diniz Arrows 26 Gearbox 22  
Ret 21 Japan Toranosuke Takagi Tyrrell-Ford 19 Engine 17  
Ret 17 Finland Mika Salo Arrows 18 Engine 20  
Ret 12 Italy Jarno Trulli Prost-Peugeot 17 Fuel Pump 12  
Ret 22 Japan Shinji Nakano Minardi-Ford 3 Spun off 18  
Ret 10 Germany Ralf Schumacher Jordan-Mugen-Honda 0 Spun off 8  

Standings after Grand Prix

Drivers' Championship standings
Pos Driver Points
1 Finland Mika Häkkinen 20
2 United Kingdom David Coulthard 12
3 Germany Heinz-Harald Frentzen 6
4 Germany Michael Schumacher 4
5 United Kingdom Eddie Irvine 3

Constructors' Championship standings
Pos Constructor Points
1 United Kingdom McLaren-Mercedes 32
2 United Kingdom Williams-Mecachrome 8
3 Italy Ferrari 7
4 Italy Benetton-Playlife 4
5 Switzerland Sauber-Petronas 1

Notes

References

  1. Rosenthal, Jim, Jardine, Tony, Brundle, Martin (1998). The Brazilian Grand Prix: Qualifying - Live (Television Production). Autódromo José Carlos Pace, Sao Paulo, Brazil: ITV. Event occurs at 00:01.20-00:04.16.
Previous race:
1998 Australian Grand Prix
FIA Formula One World Championship
1998 season
Next race:
1998 Argentine Grand Prix
Previous race:
1997 Brazilian Grand Prix
Brazilian Grand Prix Next race:
1999 Brazilian Grand Prix