1998 Brazilian Grand Prix

Infobox Grand Prix race report
Type = F1
Country = Brazil
Grand Prix = Brazilian
Date = March 29
Year = 1998


Race_No = 2
Season_No = 16
Official name = XXVII Grande Prêmio Marlboro do Brasil
Location = Autódromo José Carlos Pace
São Paulo, Brazil
Course_mi = 2.687
Course_km = 4.325
Distance_laps = 72
Distance_mi = 193.495
Distance_km = 311.401
Weather = Fine, 31 Degrees
Pole_Driver = Mika Häkkinen
Pole_Team = McLaren-Mercedes
Pole_Time = 1:17.092
Pole_Country = Finland
Fast_Driver = Mika Häkkinen
Fast_Team = McLaren-Mercedes
Fast_Time = 1:19.337
Fast_L

Fast_Country = Finland
First_Driver = Mika Häkkinen
First_Team = McLaren-Mercedes
First_Country = Finland
Second_Driver = David Coulthard
Second_Team = McLaren-Mercedes
Second_Country= United Kingdom
Third_Driver = Michael Schumacher
Third_Team = Ferrari
Third_Country = Germany

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.

Race Summary

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. As a result of Ferrari's 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. 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 Mika 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. Frenzten 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. In this Grand Prix, the McLarens were totally dominant.

Classification

Qualifying

Race

tandings After Grand Prix

Drivers
*1 Mika Häkkinen - McLaren-Mercedes - 20
*2 David Coulthard - McLaren-Mercedes - 12
*3 Heinz-Harald Frentzen - Williams-Mecachrome - 6
*4 Michael Schumacher - Ferrari - 4
*5= Eddie Irvine - Ferrari - 3
*5= Alexander Wurz - Benetton-Playlife - 3
*7 Jacques Villeneuve - Williams-Mecachrome - 2
*8= Johnny Herbert - Sauber-Petronas - 1
*8= Giancarlo Fisichella - Benetton-Playlife - 1

Constructors
*1 McLaren-Mercedes - 32
*2 Williams-Mecachrome - 8
*3 Ferrari - 7
*4 Benetton-Playlife - 4
*5 Sauber-Petronas - 1

Notes

*Fastest L
Mika Häkkinen 1m 19.337s
*Lap Length: 4325 metres
*Distance: 72 Laps, 309.024 km
*Weather: Fine, 31 degrees
*Leaders: Lap 1-72 Mika Häkkinen
*Damon Hill disqualified for underweight car.

F1 race report
Name_of_race = Brazilian Grand Prix
Year_of_race = 1998
Previous_race_in_season = 1998 Australian Grand Prix
Next_race_in_season = 1998 Argentine Grand Prix
Previous_year's_race = 1997 Brazilian Grand Prix
Next_year's_race = 1999 Brazilian Grand Prix