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The Belgian Grand Prix of 1998 comes easily to mind when you ask an F1 fan about a favourite race of theirs. It was the 13th race of the season that full of drama and saw an unlikely trio of drivers finish on the podium.
The race began in horrifically wet conditions on a cold Sunday morning. Eventual world champion Mika Haikkinen started on pole position alongside team-mate David Coulthard. Coulthard made a poor start and ended up causing a monstrous pile up which brought a red flag out for one hour.
At the second restart, Damon Hill made the best getaway and catapulted into first place. Behind him, Haikkinen and Schumacher battled for position. Haikkinen lost control of his McLaren and hit the Sauber of Johnny Herbert, casuing both drivers to retire. David Coulthard was also involved in another incident with Alex Wurz on the same lap, which put the latter driver out of the race. Coulthard was able to continue in last place.
The safety car was deployed to recover the McLaren of Mika Haikkinen. After the restart Damon Hill continued to lead from Michael Schumacher who hunted him down and overtook him on lap 8. As the race wore on, the conditions didn't improve, but rain-master Michael Schumacher extended his lead to an incredible forty seconds over Damon Hill.
Schumacher then closed up to the back of David Coulthard, who was to be lapped. Jean Todt took a visit to the McLaren garage to ensure that Coulthard would move over quickly. However he did not, causing Schumacher to become extremely frustrated. On the run down to Pouhon, Coulthard lifted off on the racing line. Due to poor visibility, Schumacher had hit the back off Coulthard before he could do anything about it.
It ripped the front right wheel off the Ferrari, and caused the prancing horse to retire from the race. Once back in the pits, Schumacher stormed to the McLaren garage to confront Coulthard in a rage of anger, only to be held back by a number of mechanics. Coulthard would eventually rejoin the race after his damaged rear wing was fixed.
After Schumacher retired from the race, the Jordan of Damon Hill regained the lead of the Grand Prix followed by his team-mate Ralf Schumacher. Eddie Irvine spun out and Giancarlo Fisichella and Shinji Nakano were involved in a collision.
At this point in the race, only six cars remained on track. Coulthard and Nakano rejoined the race in a bid to claim some points for the championship. Damon Hill crossed the line ahead of his team-mate Schumacher and the Sauber of Jean Alesi. Thus became Jordan's first ever race victory and Jean Alesi's final podium in Formula One.
The Belgian Grand Prix is always an iconic place to go to and delivers unpredictable racing, clearly portrayed in this chapter of the race track's history book.
Grand Prix of Belgium
G. Zhou
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