1998 Formula One World Championship (Redirected from 1998 Formula One season)

Mika Häkkinen (pictured in 2006) won his first title with McLaren.
Michael Schumacher finished as runner-up with Ferrari. 14 points behind Häkkinen.
Häkkinen's teammate, David Coulthard (pictured in 1995), finished the season ranked third.

The 1998 FIA Formula One World Championship was the 52nd season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1998 Formula One World Championship for Drivers and the 1998 Formula One World Championship for Constructors, which were contested concurrently over a sixteen-race series that commenced on 8 March and ended on 1 November.

The season saw a large shuffling of the pecking order, with McLaren emerging as the fastest constructor. After the factory withdrawal of Renault and the departure of designer Adrian Newey to McLaren, the Williams team and Jacques Villeneuve were unable to defend their respective championships. Williams suffered their first winless season since 1988.

Mika Häkkinen won his first World Drivers' Championship and McLaren won the World Constructors' Championship for the first time since 1991.

Teams and drivers

The following teams and drivers competed in the 1998 FIA Formula One World Championship.

Entrant Constructor Chassis Engine Tyre No. Driver Rounds
United Kingdom Winfield Williams Williams-Mecachrome FW20 Mecachrome GC37-01 G 1 Canada Jacques Villeneuve All
2 Germany Heinz-Harald Frentzen All
Italy Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro Ferrari F300 Ferrari 047 G 3 Germany Michael Schumacher All
4 United Kingdom Eddie Irvine All
Italy Mild Seven Benetton Playlife Benetton-Playlife B198 Playlife GC37-01 B 5 Italy Giancarlo Fisichella All
6 Austria Alexander Wurz All
United Kingdom West McLaren Mercedes McLaren-Mercedes MP4/13 Mercedes FO110G B 7 United Kingdom David Coulthard All
8 Finland Mika Häkkinen All
Republic of Ireland Benson & Hedges Jordan Jordan-Mugen-Honda 198 Mugen-Honda MF-301 HC G 9 United Kingdom Damon Hill All
10 Germany Ralf Schumacher All
France Gauloises Prost Peugeot Prost-Peugeot AP01 Peugeot A16 B 11 France Olivier Panis All
12 Italy Jarno Trulli All
Switzerland Red Bull Sauber Petronas Sauber-Petronas C17 Petronas SPE-01D G 14 France Jean Alesi All
15 United Kingdom Johnny Herbert All
United Kingdom Danka Zepter Arrows Arrows A19 Arrows T2-F1 B 16 Brazil Pedro Diniz All
17 Finland Mika Salo All
United Kingdom HSBC Stewart Ford Stewart-Ford SF02 Ford VJ Zetec-R B 18 Brazil Rubens Barrichello All
19 Denmark Jan Magnussen 1–7
Netherlands Jos Verstappen 8–16
United Kingdom PIAA Tyrrell Tyrrell-Ford 026 Ford JD Zetec-R G 20 Brazil Ricardo Rosset All
21 Japan Toranosuke Takagi All
Italy Fondmetal Minardi Team Minardi-Ford M198 Ford JD Zetec-R B 22 Japan Shinji Nakano All
23 Argentina Esteban Tuero All
Sources:

All engines were 3.0 litre, V10 configuration.

Team changes

At the end of 1997, Renault withdrew as a direct engine supplier from Formula One and thus marked the first season since 1988 that Renault-branded engines were absent due to the company's privatisation plan. As a result, the two teams running Renault engines were forced to source alternative suppliers. Williams opted to run engines supplied by Mecachrome, who were working with Renault to develop the most recent iteration of their RS9 engine rebadged with the Mecachrome name. Benetton sourced a similar rebadged Renault engine from Playlife. Neither Williams nor Benetton were competitive to the same level as in previous seasons. Renault themselves would invest in Benetton for 2000, before buying the team outright in 2002. They would not supply engines to other competing teams again until 2007.

Arrows had bought out Brian Hart's preparation company to build their own engines. They would do so as well for 2000.

The Prost and Jordan teams swapped their engine suppliers from 1997: Prost now used Peugeot, whilst Jordan used Mugen-Honda.

Minardi switched from Hart to Ford engines.

Driver changes

Gerhard Berger retired at the end of 1997 after fourteen years in F1, leaving a vacant seat at Benetton. The team also opted not to renew Jean Alesi's contract, so the Frenchman signed a two-year deal to join Johnny Herbert at Sauber. As their replacements, Benetton signed Giancarlo Fisichella from Jordan and Alexander Wurz, who had already substituted for Berger for three races in 1997.

Jordan replaced Fisichella by signing 1996 World Champion Damon Hill to partner Ralf Schumacher. To fill his Hill's seat, Arrows secured the services of Tyrrell's Mika Salo alongside Pedro Diniz. Tyrrell also parted ways with Jos Verstappen in the off-season, despite Ken Tyrrell wanting him to stay. However, new owners British American Tobacco preferred to hire Brazilian Ricardo Rosset, who had briefly raced for the now-defunct Lola team in 1997. They promoted test driver Toranosuke Takagi to fill the second seat. Verstappen returned to F1 midway through 1998 with Stewart, while Lola's other driver, Vincenzo Sospiri, found a home in the IndyCar Series.

Prost retained Olivier Panis, but dropped second driver Shinji Nakano and replaced him with Jarno Trulli. Trulli had started 1997 with Minardi but then substituted for Panis when he broke his leg at the Canadian Grand Prix. Meanwhile, Nakano joined Trulli's old team, Minardi, to replace his retiring countryman Ukyo Katayama. He was partnered by rookie Esteban Tuero, who was promoted from a testing role as he was preferred to the outgoing Tarso Marques. Marques would eventually return to F1 in 2001, also with Minardi.

Mid-season changes

Jan Magnussen was dropped by Stewart after the Canadian Grand Prix, following a series of underwhelming performances (including crashing into and eliminating his teammate Rubens Barrichello on lap 1 at Imola). He was replaced by Jos Verstappen, who had been out of a drive since leaving Tyrrell at the end of 1997.

Calendar

Round Grand Prix Circuit Date
1 Australian Grand Prix Australia Albert Park Circuit, Melbourne 8 March
2 Brazilian Grand Prix Brazil Autódromo José Carlos Pace, São Paulo 29 March
3 Argentine Grand Prix Argentina Autódromo Oscar Alfredo Gálvez, Buenos Aires 12 April
4 San Marino Grand Prix Italy Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola 26 April
5 Spanish Grand Prix Spain Circuit de Catalunya, Montmeló 10 May
6 Monaco Grand Prix Monaco Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo 24 May
7 Canadian Grand Prix Canada Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal 7 June
8 French Grand Prix France Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, Magny-Cours 28 June
9 British Grand Prix United Kingdom Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone 12 July
10 Austrian Grand Prix Austria A1-Ring, Spielberg, Styria 26 July
11 German Grand Prix Germany Hockenheimring, Hockenheim 2 August
12 Hungarian Grand Prix Hungary Hungaroring, Mogyoród 16 August
13 Belgian Grand Prix Belgium Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Stavelot 30 August
14 Italian Grand Prix Italy Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza 13 September
15 Luxembourg Grand Prix Germany Nürburgring, Nürburg 27 September
16 Japanese Grand Prix Japan Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka 1 November
Source:

Calendar changes

  • The Portuguese Grand Prix was originally scheduled near the end of the season, to be held at the Estoril circuit on 11 October. The race was cancelled as the government refused to pay for the required safety upgrades. The cancellation left a gap of five weeks to the final race in Japan.

Regulation changes

Technical regulations

The 1998 season brought about two significant technical changes to reduce cornering speeds and aid overtaking:

  • The reintroduction of grooved tyres to replace slicks for the first time since 1970. The front tyres had three grooves, the rear tyres four. This was done to decrease cornering speeds and thus, increase safety. Grooved tyres would remain in Formula One until the reintroduction of slicks in 2009. For 1998, both McLaren and Benetton switched from Goodyear to Bridgestone tyres, as the Japanese manufacturer expanded to work with six of the eleven teams in their second year competing in the sport. The two top teams from 1997, Williams and Ferrari, opted to retain Goodyear tyres. This would result in the two championship protagonist teams working with different tyre manufacturers.
  • The reduction of the cars' track, from 2,000 mm (6 ft 7 in) to 1,800 mm (5 ft 11 in). This would give teams less room to play with to create downforce and give drivers more space on the track.

Quite a list of regulations were drafted up with regards to the brakes. The goal was to limit braking performance, thereby improving possibilities of overtaking and reducing costs.

The cameras mounted on top of the engine covers, as seen on selected cars from 1995 to 1997, were made mandatory for each car in 1998, and changed from an I-shape to a more aerodynamic T-shape. This design has remained largely unchanged since.

Mid-season changes

"X wings", a pair of tall aerodynamic appendages mounted at the front of each sidepod and first seen on the Tyrrell 025 in 1997, were banned before the Spanish Grand Prix. The teams that used them before the ban were Ferrari, Jordan, Prost, Sauber, and Tyrrell.

Sporting regulations

In 1997, a driver was allowed a maximum of 30 laps free practice per day. This limit was abolished for 1998.

Season summary

Rounds 1 to 6

When the season commenced, it was immediately clear that McLaren had adapted to the rule changes best, with their drivers locking out the front row of the grid at the opening race of the season in Australia and both being more than half a second clear of Michael Schumacher in the Ferrari. Mika Häkkinen started on pole position and led up to lap 36, when he misheard a call to come into the pits. Teammate David Coulthard took the lead, but moved over to allow Häkkinen to pass, honouring a pre-race agreement that the driver leading at the first corner could win the race. The result was protested but was held up by the WMSC.

The McLaren drivers finished 1-2 again in Brazil, and in the same order. But once again, controversy was not far away: a protest was lodged regarding the McLaren braking system. It was suggested to allow the drivers to brake front and rear wheels independently, contravening the rules. McLaren agreed not to run the system, but remained dominant in the race.

With Goodyear making steps forward before Argentina, Schumacher was able to take his first win of the season there. Häkkinen finished a distant second and Coulthard only managed sixth after he was tipped into a spin by Schumacher early in the race.

Coulthard bounced back in Imola by gaining pole position and winning the race ahead of the Ferrari's of Schumacher and Eddie Irvine. Häkkinen suffered his first retirement of the season due to a gearbox failure.

It seemed that normal service resumed in Spain, however, where the McLaren took another 1-2 finish led by Häkkinen. A further win for Häkkinen in Monaco gave him a seventeen-point lead over Coulthard with Schumacher a further five points behind.

Rounds 7 to 12

Michael Schumacher climbed back in the standings by winning the next three races, while mistakes and mechanical failures cost both Häkkinen and Coulthard points. After the British Grand Prix, Schumacher had closed the gap to Häkkinen to just two points, while Coulthard was 26 points behind his teammate and looking unlikely to be able to fight for the championship.

Consecutive wins in Austria and Germany for Häkkinen, however, proved that McLaren still had the strongest car. Finally, a strategic master stroke in Hungary allowed Schumacher to take the win, with Häkkinen only managing sixth, and close the championship gap again, to just seven points.

Rounds 13 to 16

The start of a typically rain-filled Belgian Grand Prix saw one of the worst accidents in Formula One history, with over half the cars on the grid crashing into each other after the first corner. Four of the drivers were unable to take the restart, which took place almost an hour later, due to lack of spare cars. An action-packed race saw Mika Häkkinen spin out into retirement at the restart and saw Michael Schumacher crashing into David Coulthard when trying to lap him. The path was then clear for 1996 world champion Damon Hill to take Jordan's first ever win, followed by teammate Ralf Schumacher in second.

Schumacher bounced back to take a surprise victory in Italy. Häkkinen initially followed in second, but after two spins caused by brake problems, could only manage fourth. The rivals were now level in points with two races to go and Ferrari was back into contention for the Constructors' Championship (just ten points behind on McLaren).

For the next race at the Nürburgring, Häkkinen managed to beat Schumacher in a straight fight. And the season concluded in Japan, where Häkkinen won without any challenge from Schumacher, who stalled on the grid and retired from a blown tyre later in the race.

This gave Häkkinen his first Drivers' Championship and McLaren their eighth Constructors' Championship. Williams, champions of 1997, experienced a disappointing season overall, with only two podium finishes for reigning champion Jacques Villeneuve and one for Heinz-Harald Frentzen. In Japan, they did manage to secure third in the Constructors' Championship, ahead of Jordan and Benetton.

Results and standings

Grands Prix

Round Grand Prix Pole position Fastest lap Winning driver Constructor Report
1 Australia Australian Grand Prix Finland Mika Häkkinen Finland Mika Häkkinen Finland Mika Häkkinen United Kingdom McLaren-Mercedes Report
2 Brazil Brazilian Grand Prix Finland Mika Häkkinen Finland Mika Häkkinen Finland Mika Häkkinen United Kingdom McLaren-Mercedes Report
3 Argentina Argentine Grand Prix United Kingdom David Coulthard Austria Alexander Wurz Germany Michael Schumacher Italy Ferrari Report
4 Italy San Marino Grand Prix United Kingdom David Coulthard Germany Michael Schumacher United Kingdom David Coulthard United Kingdom McLaren-Mercedes Report
5 Spain Spanish Grand Prix Finland Mika Häkkinen Finland Mika Häkkinen Finland Mika Häkkinen United Kingdom McLaren-Mercedes Report
6 Monaco Monaco Grand Prix Finland Mika Häkkinen Finland Mika Häkkinen Finland Mika Häkkinen United Kingdom McLaren-Mercedes Report
7 Canada Canadian Grand Prix United Kingdom David Coulthard Germany Michael Schumacher Germany Michael Schumacher Italy Ferrari Report
8 France French Grand Prix Finland Mika Häkkinen United Kingdom David Coulthard Germany Michael Schumacher Italy Ferrari Report
9 United Kingdom British Grand Prix Finland Mika Häkkinen Germany Michael Schumacher Germany Michael Schumacher Italy Ferrari Report
10 Austria Austrian Grand Prix Italy Giancarlo Fisichella United Kingdom David Coulthard Finland Mika Häkkinen United Kingdom McLaren-Mercedes Report
11 Germany German Grand Prix Finland Mika Häkkinen United Kingdom David Coulthard Finland Mika Häkkinen United Kingdom McLaren-Mercedes Report
12 Hungary Hungarian Grand Prix Finland Mika Häkkinen Germany Michael Schumacher Germany Michael Schumacher Italy Ferrari Report
13 Belgium Belgian Grand Prix Finland Mika Häkkinen Germany Michael Schumacher United Kingdom Damon Hill Republic of Ireland Jordan-Mugen-Honda Report
14 Italy Italian Grand Prix Germany Michael Schumacher Finland Mika Häkkinen Germany Michael Schumacher Italy Ferrari Report
15 Germany Luxembourg Grand Prix Germany Michael Schumacher Finland Mika Häkkinen Finland Mika Häkkinen United Kingdom McLaren-Mercedes Report
16 Japan Japanese Grand Prix Germany Michael Schumacher Germany Michael Schumacher Finland Mika Häkkinen United Kingdom McLaren-Mercedes Report
Source:

Scoring system

Points were awarded to the top six finishers in each race as follows:

Position  1st   2nd   3rd   4th   5th   6th 
Points 10 6 4 3 2 1

World Drivers' Championship standings

Pos. Driver AUS
Australia
BRA
Brazil
ARG
Argentina
SMR
Italy
ESP
Spain
MON
Monaco
CAN
Canada
FRA
France
GBR
United Kingdom
AUT
Austria
GER
Germany
HUN
Hungary
BEL
Belgium
ITA
Italy
LUX
Germany
JPN
Japan
Points
1 Finland Mika Häkkinen 1PF 1PF 2 Ret 1PF 1PF Ret 3P 2P 1 1P 6P RetP 4F 1F 1 100
2 Germany Michael Schumacher Ret 3 1 2F 3 10 1F 1 1F 3 5 1F RetF 1P 2P RetPF 86
3 United Kingdom David Coulthard 2 2 6P 1P 2 Ret RetP 6F Ret 2F 2F 2 7 Ret 3 3 56
4 United Kingdom Eddie Irvine 4 8 3 3 Ret 3 3 2 3 4 8 Ret Ret 2 4 2 47
5 Canada Jacques Villeneuve 5 7 Ret 4 6 5 10 4 7 6 3 3 Ret Ret 8 6 21
6 United Kingdom Damon Hill 8 DSQ 8 10 Ret 8 Ret Ret Ret 7 4 4 1 6 9 4 20
7 Germany Heinz-Harald Frentzen 3 5 9 5 8 Ret Ret 15 Ret Ret 9 5 4 7 5 5 17
8 Austria Alexander Wurz 7 4 4F Ret 4 Ret 4 5 4 9 11 16 Ret Ret 7 9 17
9 Italy Giancarlo Fisichella Ret 6 7 Ret Ret 2 2 9 5 RetP 7 8 Ret 8 6 8 16
10 Germany Ralf Schumacher Ret Ret Ret 7 11 Ret Ret 16 6 5 6 9 2 3 Ret Ret 14
11 France Jean Alesi Ret 9 5 6 10 12 Ret 7 Ret Ret 10 7 3 5 10 7 9
12 Brazil Rubens Barrichello Ret Ret 10 Ret 5 Ret 5 10 Ret Ret Ret Ret DNS 10 11 Ret 4
13 Finland Mika Salo Ret Ret Ret 9 Ret 4 Ret 13 Ret Ret 14 Ret DNS Ret 14 Ret 3
14 Brazil Pedro Diniz Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 6 9 14 Ret Ret Ret 11 5 Ret Ret Ret 3
15 United Kingdom Johnny Herbert 6 11 Ret Ret 7 7 Ret 8 Ret 8 Ret 10 Ret Ret Ret 10 1
16 Italy Jarno Trulli Ret Ret 11 Ret 9 Ret Ret Ret Ret 10 12 Ret 6 13 Ret 12 1
17 Denmark Jan Magnussen Ret 10 Ret Ret 12 Ret 6 1
Japan Shinji Nakano Ret Ret 13 Ret 14 9 7 17 8 11 Ret 15 8 Ret 15 Ret 0
Argentina Esteban Tuero Ret Ret Ret 8 15 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 16 Ret Ret 11 Ret Ret 0
Brazil Ricardo Rosset Ret Ret 14 Ret DNQ DNQ 8 Ret Ret 12 DNQ DNQ DNS 12 Ret DNQ 0
Japan Toranosuke Takagi Ret Ret 12 Ret 13 11 Ret Ret 9 Ret 13 14 Ret 9 16 Ret 0
France Olivier Panis 9 Ret 15 11 16 Ret Ret 11 Ret Ret 15 12 DNS Ret 12 11 0
Netherlands Jos Verstappen 12 Ret Ret Ret 13 Ret Ret 13 Ret 0
Pos. Driver AUS
Australia
BRA
Brazil
ARG
Argentina
SMR
Italy
ESP
Spain
MON
Monaco
CAN
Canada
FRA
France
GBR
United Kingdom
AUT
Austria
GER
Germany
HUN
Hungary
BEL
Belgium
ITA
Italy
LUX
Germany
JPN
Japan
Points
Source:
Key
Colour Result
Gold Winner
Silver Second place
Bronze Third place
Green Other points position
Blue Other classified position
Not classified, finished (NC)
Purple Not classified, retired (Ret)
Red Did not qualify (DNQ)
Black Disqualified (DSQ)
White Did not start (DNS)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank Did not practice (DNP)
Excluded (EX)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Withdrawn (WD)
Did not enter (empty cell)
Annotation Meaning
P Pole position
F Fastest lap


Notes:

  • † – Driver did not finish the Grand Prix but was classified, as he completed more than 90% of the race distance.

World Constructors' Championship standings

McLaren-Mercedes won the Constructors' Championship (their most recent to date) with the MP4/13.
Ferrari placed second in the Constructors' Championship.
Williams-Mecachrome, the defending Constructors' World Champion, finished a distant third in the Constructors' Championship.
Pos. Constructor No. AUS
Australia
BRA
Brazil
ARG
Argentina
SMR
Italy
ESP
Spain
MON
Monaco
CAN
Canada
FRA
France
GBR
United Kingdom
AUT
Austria
GER
Germany
HUN
Hungary
BEL
Belgium
ITA
Italy
LUX
Germany
JPN
Japan
Points
1 United Kingdom McLaren-Mercedes 7 2 2 6P 1P 2 Ret RetP 6F Ret 2F 2F 2 7 Ret 3 3 156
8 1PF 1PF 2 Ret 1PF 1PF Ret 3P 2P 1 1P 6P RetP 4F 1F 1
2 Italy Ferrari 3 Ret 3 1 2F 3 10 1F 1 1F 3 5 1F RetF 1P 2P RetPF 133
4 4 8 3 3 Ret 3 3 2 3 4 8 Ret Ret 2 4 2
3 United Kingdom Williams-Mecachrome 1 5 7 Ret 4 6 5 10 4 7 6 3 3 Ret Ret 8 6 38
2 3 5 9 5 8 Ret Ret 15 Ret Ret 9 5 4 7 5 5
4 Republic of Ireland Jordan-Mugen-Honda 9 8 DSQ 8 10 Ret 8 Ret Ret Ret 7 4 4 1 6 9 4 34
10 Ret Ret Ret 7 11 Ret Ret 16 6 5 6 9 2 3 Ret Ret
5 Italy Benetton-Playlife 5 Ret 6 7 Ret Ret 2 2 9 5 RetP 7 8 Ret 8 6 8 33
6 7 4 4F Ret 4 Ret 4 5 4 9 11 16 Ret Ret 7 9
6 Switzerland Sauber-Petronas 14 Ret 9 5 6 10 12 Ret 7 Ret Ret 10 7 3 5 10 7 10
15 6 11 Ret Ret 7 7 Ret 8 Ret 8 Ret 10 Ret Ret Ret 10
7 United Kingdom Arrows 16 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 6 9 14 Ret Ret Ret 11 5 Ret Ret Ret 6
17 Ret Ret Ret 9 Ret 4 Ret 13 Ret Ret 14 Ret DNS Ret 14 Ret
8 United Kingdom Stewart-Ford 18 Ret Ret 10 Ret 5 Ret 5 10 Ret Ret Ret Ret DNS 10 11 Ret 5
19 Ret 10 Ret Ret 12 Ret 6 12 Ret Ret Ret 13 Ret Ret 13 Ret
9 France Prost-Peugeot 11 9 Ret 15 11 16 Ret Ret 11 Ret Ret 15 12 DNS Ret 12 11 1
12 Ret Ret 11 Ret 9 Ret Ret Ret Ret 10 12 Ret 6 13 Ret 12
Italy Minardi-Ford 22 Ret Ret 13 Ret 14 9 7 17 8 11 Ret 15 8 Ret 15 Ret 0
23 Ret Ret Ret 8 15 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 16 Ret Ret 11 Ret Ret
United Kingdom Tyrrell-Ford 20 Ret Ret 14 Ret DNQ DNQ 8 Ret Ret 12 DNQ DNQ DNS 12 Ret DNQ 0
21 Ret Ret 12 Ret 13 11 Ret Ret 9 Ret 13 14 Ret 9 16 Ret
Pos. Constructor No. AUS
Australia
BRA
Brazil
ARG
Argentina
SMR
Italy
ESP
Spain
MON
Monaco
CAN
Canada
FRA
France
GBR
United Kingdom
AUT
Austria
GER
Germany
HUN
Hungary
BEL
Belgium
ITA
Italy
LUX
Germany
JPN
Japan
Points
Source:

Notes:

  • † – Driver did not finish the Grand Prix but was classified, as he completed more than 90% of the race distance.

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