1998 Italian Grand Prix

Infobox Grand Prix race report
Type = F1
Country = Italy
Grand Prix = Italian
Date = September 13
Year = 1998


Caption =
Race_No = 14
Season_No = 16
Official name = LIX Gran Premio Campari d'Italia
Location = Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza, Italy
Course_mi = 3.6
Course_km = 5.793
Distance_laps = 53
Distance_mi = 190.8
Distance_km = 307.029
Weather = Sunny
Pole_Driver = Michael Schumacher
Pole_Country = Germany
Pole_Team = Ferrari
Pole_Time = 1:25.298
Fast_Driver = Mika Häkkinen
Fast_Team = McLaren-Mercedes
Fast_Time = 1:25.139s
Fast_L

Fast_Country = Finland
First_Driver = Michael Schumacher
First_Country = Germany
First_Team = Ferrari
Second_Driver = Eddie Irvine
Second_Country = United Kingdom
Second_Team = Ferrari
Third_Driver = Ralf Schumacher
Third_Country = Germany
Third_Team = Jordan-Mugen-Honda

The 1998 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Monza on September 13, 1998. The race was won by Michael Schumacher. This was also the last win for tyre manufacturer Goodyear in Formula One.

It was a dramatic race, Häkkinen got a blinding start pushing his way past both Ferrari's on the front row, at same time it was a dreadful start for Michael Schumacher who fell down to 5th, soon after he passed Villeneuve for 4th then Irvine for 3rd.

Häkkinen seemed to be struggling soon after and he waved his team mate Coulthard through, but soon after Coulthard's engine blew and seconds later Schumacher, who had caught Häkkinen, passed the Finn when Häkkinen ran wide due to the smoke from Coulthard's engine.

Villeneuve running very low downforce soon spun out of the race, and Häkkinen started catching Schumacher again, but then Häkkinen's brakes failed, sending him into a wild spin. He was able to keep his engine running and kept going, at the next corner he ran off track again and Irvine reeled him in and took 2nd off him. Soon after Ralf Schumacher caught and over took Häkkinen who was able to limp home in 4th.

It was jubliant scenes for the Italian crowd as Michael Schumacher came home first and his Ferrari team mate Eddie Irvine took second with Ralf Schumacher 3rd.

Michael Schumacher was now level on points with Mika Häkkinen going into the Nürburgring.

Classification

tandings after Grand Prix

Drivers

* 1= Mika Häkkinen - McLaren-Mercedes - 80 * 1= Michael Schumacher - Ferrari - 80 * 3 David Coulthard - McLaren-Mercedes - 48 * 4 Eddie Irvine - Ferrari - 38 * 5 Jacques Villeneuve - Williams-Mecachrome - 20 * 6= Alexander Wurz - Benetton-Playlife - 17 * 6= Damon Hill - Jordan-Mugen-Honda - 17 * 8 Giancarlo Fisichella - Benetton-Playlife - 15 * 9 Ralf Schumacher - Jordan-Honda - 14 * 10 Heinz-Harald Frentzen - Williams-Mecachrome - 13 * 11 Jean Alesi - Sauber-Petronas - 9 * 12 Rubens Barrichello - Stewart-Ford - 4 * 13= Mika Salo - Arrows - 3 * 13= Pedro Diniz - Arrows - 3 * 15= Johnny Herbert - Sauber-Petronas - 1 * 15= Jan Magnussen - Stewart-Ford - 1 * 15= Jarno Trulli - Prost-Peugeot - 1

Constructors

* 1 McLaren-Mercedes - 128 * 2 Ferrari - 118 * 3 Benetton-Playlife - 32 * 4 Jordan-Honda - 31 * 5 Williams-Mecachrome - 30 * 6 Sauber-Petronas - 10 * 7 Arrows - 6 * 8 Stewart-Ford - 5 * 9 Prost - 1

Notes

*Fastest L

*This was the last win for tyre manufacturer Goodyear in F1.
*McLaren's bad luck started when David Coulthard's engine blew whilst leading, Häkkinen in second was blinded by the smoke allowing Michael Schumacher to pass. Häkkinen slipped to 4th with brake trouble.

F1 race report
Name_of_race = Italian Grand Prix
Year_of_race = 1998
Previous_race_in_season = 1998 Belgian Grand Prix
Next_race_in_season = 1998 Luxembourg Grand Prix
Previous_year's_race = 1997 Italian Grand Prix
Next_year's_race = 1999 Italian Grand Prix