Race
Häkkinen started well to lead into the first corner but several cars collided at the first corner behind them, with Toranosuke Takagi 's car ending up stranded. Olivier Panis was left immobile on the line with clutch failure. At the second corner, there was another accident, with both Arrows drivers colliding, hitting Coulthard in the process and knocking off his wing after he had qualified in 14th. Coulthard entered the pit lane for a new nose as a safety car was deployed to allow the debris fr... At the restart, Häkkinen led away again with Schumacher close behind him. Schumacher attempted to pass Häkkinen but ran wide, allowing Fisichella in the Benetton past him and almost Rubens Barrichello in the Stewart as well. Barrichello soon dropped out with brake problems, while Schumacher overtook Fisichella again. Schumacher was already on a disadvantage with a two-stop strategy and Häkkinen on just one; his situation got worse when he ran very wide, bouncing violently through the gravel trap... Twenty-one laps in, Fisichella and Alesi clashed at the second corner, with both having to retire. Coulthard and Schumacher were both quickly moving back up through the field; he had a lot of trouble passing his brother Ralf Schumacher in the Jordan Grand Prix , finally succeeding after several laps. Schumacher then started to catch up to teammate Eddie Irvine , who was slowing; although Irvine said after it was due to marginal brakes, some suggested he was given a team order and asked to move o...
Race Result
| Pos | No | Driver | Constructor | Lap | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Giancarlo Fisichella | Benetton-Playlife | 1:29.598 | — |
| 2 | 14 | Jean Alesi | Sauber-Petronas | 1:30.317 | +0.719 |
| 3 | 8 | Mika Häkkinen | McLaren-Mercedes | 1:30.517 | +0.919 |
| 4 | 3 | Michael Schumacher | Ferrari | 1:30.551 | +0.953 |
| 5 | 18 | Rubens Barrichello | Stewart-Ford | 1:31.005 | +1.407 |
| 6 | 17 | Mika Salo | Arrows | 1:31.028 | +1.430 |
| 7 | 2 | Heinz-Harald Frentzen | Williams-Mecachrome | 1:31.515 | +1.917 |
| 8 | 4 | Eddie Irvine | Ferrari | 1:31.651 | +2.053 |
| 9 | 10 | Ralf Schumacher | Jordan-Mugen-Honda | 1:31.917 | +2.319 |
| 10 | 11 | Olivier Panis | Prost-Peugeot | 1:32.081 | +2.483 |
Championship Standings After This Race
The Paddock Breakdown
Barry · Gary · KatGary — 33 · Three Fantasy F1 leagues
The rain, a sullen grey blanket, draped over the A1-Ring, spitting a final, hesitant farewell as Giancarlo Fisichella secured his inaugural pole – a Stewart-Ford T80, its 2. 0-liter EcoStart V10 screaming a defiant hymn against the dampened asphalt. A peculiar dance of moisture and drying tarmac dictated the order, a mechanical ballet orchestrated by capricious weather. Häkkinen, aboard his McLaren-Mercedes MP4/10B, possessed a staggering 670 horsepower, a brute force unleashed as he navigated the opening cornfield chicane. Coulthard, a mere 650 horsepower behind, already tasted the metallic tang of potential collisions, a foreshadowing of the chaotic drama to unfold.
The rain, a capricious sculptor, rearranged the order before a single lap was completed. Giancarlo Fisichella, a name soon etched in the annals of motorsport, seized his inaugural pole – a singular achievement considering McLaren held the preceding seven. A curious dichotomy emerged: Häkkinen, the reigning champion, began from third, a position hinting at the battles yet to unfold. Seven tenths separated the front row, a chasm of potential, a testament to the delicate balance of grip and strategy in this sodden Austrian landscape.
Kat — 30 · Technical journalist
The rain hadn't relented, a grey curtain drawn across the A1-Ring. Häkkinen's McLaren, a predatory shadow, wrestled for every inch, the engine a guttural growl against the slick asphalt. A brush with Coulthard, a near miss, the Scot's McLaren momentarily a blur of scarlet. Then, a decisive surge – Häkkinen pulled away, a solitary figure carving a path through the watery chaos. The scent of damp rubber and ozone hung heavy in the air, a primal perfume of speed and risk. Coulthard, dogged and relentless, stalked his rival, a mirror image of ambition. A fractured front suddenly emerged, a tapestry woven with collisions and desperate lunges. This was Formula 1 distilled – a brutal ballet of steel and will.
The rain hammered the A1-Ring, a frantic percussion against the concrete. Jean Alesi, a ghost of Dijon's glory, gripped the Sauber steering wheel, a faint smile playing on his lips. He felt the raw, untamed potential of the car beneath him, a kinship forged in the crucible of wet-track battles. A flicker of triumph – his first pole in years – a tangible reward for a lifetime spent chasing the elusive dance between man and machine. The scent of damp asphalt and high-octane fuel hung heavy in the air, a primal perfume of speed and risk. It was a moment etched in the heart of a legend, a testament to the enduring spirit of a racer.