GP San Marino 1998, Coulthard wins hands down, Schumi believes in it – F1world
The fasting of Ferrari victories on the banks of the Santerno has been going on since 1983, and it will not be the ’98 edition that will put an end to it. Yet, the Maranello duo, which for the third consecutive year is made up of Schumacher and Irvine, comes close. Second closes the Kaiser, third the Irish, with Coulthard dictating the law. It is the year of the Ferrari-McLaren duel and the Imola stage decrees a substantial parity: ten points for the Woking army, children of the Scottish success, another ten for Ferrari, thanks to the last two steps of the podium. Not bad for the championship, given that Schumi gnaws six points from Hakkinen, who ended up with the gearbox out of order.
ONE MACHINE TOO MUCH
We are far from the years of crisis, yet in Maranello there is always something to complain about. “A good performance – commented the ds Jean Todt – but there is still one car too many ahead of us “. It would have been due without Hakkinen’s retirement. The former Formula 1 calimero, who had achieved his first success just a few months earlier in Jerez, is the revelation of ’98. With the successes of Australia and Brazil, Mika arrives in Imola at the head of the World Championship.
The Woking team dominates the qualifications in Emilia Romagna, and even the race at the beginning proceeds according to script. In the lead Coulthard, escorted by Hakkinen who is about to forfeit other precious points. The troubles all take place in the rear, where Jan Magnussen (Kevin’s father) crashes into the Stewart of comrade Barrichello, who skids a few meters later and ends up outside. Contact also between the Jordan of Hill and the Benetton of Wurz, which is hit by the Englishman (who immediately stops to change the nose) and shortly after retires with the engine out of order.
On lap 16, however, the problems also hit McLaren, with Hakkinen forced to step aside due to gearbox problems: it is his first stop of the season. He will make up for it with interests in the next two races, Spain and Monte Carlo, where he will win a low hands.
Victory therefore to Coulthard, with only the thrill of the final laps, when the Scot drops the pace and finds himself with four seconds of margin on Michael, from 25 that were halfway through the race (“But I only managed the car” the McLaren driver will justify himself). Schumi collects what remains, while Irvine snatches the last step of the podium from Villeneuve, betrayed by the Williams strategy, which that year had switched to Mecachrome engines after years of partnership with Renault. The other Williams of Frentzen and the Sauber of the revived Alesi will close the points zone – at the time extended to the top six.
SCHUMI BELIEVES IT
After the race, Ferrari only has to collect what has been taken, in view of the best. “McLaren dominance is a given, but they are only six points behind Hakkinen. If Goodyear does a good job, we can still play it “ Schumacher nuts. On the enemy front, the problem of a difficult coexistence arises: Coulthard won, team leader Hakkinen finished out, so the two are almost even. “Let’s not even talk about it” David cuts short. Although Mika has some doubts: “Well, it may be that from now on it will be more difficult to manage”.
Side note: the San Marino ’98 GP is also the last in which the so-called ‘candelabra’, very high side wings, more than the aircoop, and terribly unsightly, are allowed. Moreover, it is dangerous. To decree the end is the then FIA president Max Mosley: “Imagine if one of those ailerons could come off on contact and against someone …”. Yeah, at the time there wasn’t the halo.