1998 French Grand Prix

Infobox Grand Prix race report
Type = F1
Country = France
Grand Prix = French
Date = June 28
Year = 1998

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Caption =
Race_No = 8
Season_No = 16
Official name = Grand Prix de France
Location = Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, Magny-Cours, France
Course = Permanent racing facility
Course_mi = 2.74
Course_km = 4.411
Distance_laps = 71
Distance_mi = 191.8
Distance_km = 308.77
Weather = Sunny, warm
Pole_Driver = Mika Häkkinen
Pole_Country = Finland
Pole_Team = McLaren-Mercedes
Pole_Time = 1:14.929
Fast_Driver = David Coulthard
Fast_Country = UK
Fast_Team = McLaren-Mercedes
Fast_Time = 1:17.523
Fast_L

First_Driver = Michael Schumacher
First_Country = Germany
First_Team = Ferrari
Second_Driver = Eddie Irvine
Second_Country= UK
Second_Team = Ferrari
Third_Driver = Mika Häkkinen
Third_Country = Finland
Third_Team = McLaren-Mercedes

The 1998 French Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Magny-Cours on June 28, 1998. The race was won by Michael Schumacher.

Qualifying Summary

Mika Häkkinen took pole posotion at the 1998 French Grand Prix, beating Michael Schumacher by 0.2 seconds. David Coulthard qualified third, and Eddie Irvine took fourth place. Throughout the qualifying session, Michael and Mika exchanged first placed, until Mika finally took the pole.

Race summary

At the beginning of the race, Jos Verstappen stalled his Stewart, meaning that a restart had to be called for. At the second start, Mika Häkkinen was overtaken by both Eddie Irvine and Michael Schumacher. This meant that Mika had dropped down from first to third, and Michael lead Eddie in a Ferrari 1-2. After this start, Michael begins to pull away; and sometimes, he was pulling away at one second a lap. While Michael was pulling away, Eddie Irvine was holding both the McLarens behind him. On lap 20, Mika Häkkinen tries a suicidal move on Eddie Irvine. His attempt fails, and he drives into the graval trap. However, he manages to keep his car going, goes into the pits for more tyres, and rejoins in fourth place. However, he regains his third place when David Coulthard has problems with his pitstop. David went into the pits, but due to a fuel filling problem, David has to do another lap, and then go into the pits. After this second set of pits, Mika is back behind Eddie Irvine, and Michael is some way in front. Eddie holds off Mika to take second, but both drivers are 19 seconds behind Michael Schumacher. After David Coulthard's error in the pitlane, he finished sixth.

Classification

tandings After Grand Prix

Drivers
*1 Mika Häkkinen - McLaren-Mercedes - 50
*2 Michael Schumacher - Ferrari - 44
*3 David Coulthard - McLaren-Mercedes - 30
*4 Eddie Irvine - Ferrari - 25
*5 Alexander Wurz - Benetton-Playlife - 14
*6 Giancarlo Fisichella - Benetton-Playlife - 13
*7 Jacques Villeneuve - Williams-Mecachrome - 11
*8 Heinz-Harald Frentzen - Williams-Mecachrome - 8
*9 Rubens Barrichello - Stewart-Ford - 4
*10= Jean Alesi - Sauber-Petronas - 3
*10= Mika Salo - Arrows - 3
*12= Johnny Herbert - Sauber-Petronas - 1
*12= Pedro Diniz - Arrows - 1
*12= Jan Magnussen -Stewart-Ford - 1

Constructors
*1 McLaren-Mercedes - 80
*2 Ferrari - 69
*3 Benetton-Playlife - 27
*4 Williams-Mecachrome - 19
*5 Stewart-Ford - 5
*6= Sauber-Petronas - 4
*6= Arrows - 4

Notes

*Fastest L

F1 race report
Name_of_race = French Grand Prix
Year_of_race = 1998
Previous_race_in_season = 1998 Canadian Grand Prix
Next_race_in_season = 1998 British Grand Prix
Previous_year's_race = 1997 French Grand Prix
Next_year's_race = 1999 French Grand Prix