Background
The Grand Prix was contested by eleven teams, each of two drivers. The teams, also known as constructors , were McLaren , Ferrari , Williams , Jordan , Benetton , Sauber , Arrows , Stewart , Prost , Minardi and BAR . Tyre supplier Bridgestone brought four different tyre types to the race: two dry compounds, the extra soft and the soft, and two wet-weather compounds , the intermediate and full wet.
Race
Following the San Marino Grand Prix on 2 May, several teams conducted testing sessions at circuits around the world. Ferrari and Minardi headed for Fiorano where testing for the set-up around the Monaco circuit took place. McLaren and Prost tested at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours running over the course of three days, while Prost elected to test for one day. Jordan tested at the Lurcy-Lévis test track with driver Andrew Gilbert-Scott performing aerodynamic mapping runs. Both Ferraris gained a position at the start, with Michael Schumacher taking the lead from Mika Häkkinen , Eddie Irvine and David Coulthard . The order remained this way until lap 35 when Coulthard's car began to slow, eventually causing him to retire. Further bad luck befell McLaren a few laps later when Häkkinen went straight on at Mirabeau from oil left after Toranosuke Takagi 's blown engine. Eddie Irvine moved into 2nd place and stayed there. On the podium, the Republic of Ireland 's flag was flown for Irvine.
External links
43°44′4.74″N 7°25′16.8″E / 43.7346500°N 7.421333°E / 43.7346500; 7.421333
Race Result
| Pos | No | Driver | Constructor | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Mika Häkkinen | McLaren-Mercedes | 1:20.547 | |
| 2 | 3 | Michael Schumacher | Ferrari | 1:20.611 | +0.064 |
| 3 | 2 | David Coulthard | McLaren-Mercedes | 1:20.956 | +0.409 |
| 4 | 4 | Eddie Irvine | Ferrari | 1:21.011 | +0.464 |
| 5 | 16 | Rubens Barrichello | Stewart-Ford | 1:21.530 | +0.983 |
| 6 | 8 | Heinz-Harald Frentzen | Jordan-Mugen-Honda | 1:21.556 | +1.009 |
| 7 | 19 | Jarno Trulli | Prost-Peugeot | 1:21.769 | +1.222 |
| 8 | 22 | Jacques Villeneuve | BAR-Supertec | 1:21.827 | +1.280 |
| 9 | 9 | Giancarlo Fisichella | Benetton-Playlife | 1:21.938 | +1.391 |
| 10 | 10 | Alexander Wurz | Benetton-Playlife | 1:21.968 | +1.421 |
Championship Standings After This Race
The Paddock Breakdown
Barry · Gary · KatGary — 33 · Three Fantasy F1 leagues
Hold on to your hats! The Principality is simmering with a tension you could cut with a slickside. Schumacher, in that Ferrari 1-24, is absolutely *hunting* Häkkinen's McLaren—a chassis utilizing a 140-degree V8, churning out a monstrous 750 horsepower. Look at that tire choice, a slick compound on the damp patches – a calculated gamble, a statement of intent from Ferrari. Irvine, battling for second, is wrestling with the McLaren's notoriously tricky rear end, a 135-degree V8 spitting fire and fury.
Hold on to your hats! The Principality is ablaze! Schumacher, a force of nature, claws his way to victory! Look at that Ferrari aggression, a calculated storm of speed and precision. Sixteen wins for the German, shattering Lauda's legacy – a statistic that will reverberate through the ages, doesn't it? And just *look* at the points gap widening; eight over Irvine, twelve over Häkkinen – a chasm opening with every blistering lap.
Kat — 30 · Technical journalist
Schumacher! He's wrestled the Ferrari into a corner that seemed impossible! The Monaco streets are bleeding blue, a testament to the sheer force of will emanating from the German. Irvine is breathing down his neck, a furious red blur, but can he *actually* pass? Häkkinen watches, a predator assessing the hunt – this isn't just a race; it's a brutal psychological battle for supremacy. The tension is a palpable thing, thick enough to choke on. This, folks, is what Formula 1 is *about*.
The rain, a slick, insistent grey, remembers Monaco. It always does. Look at Irvine, a coiled spring of frustration – he felt the slip, the lost momentum, a ghost of a chance snatched away by the track itself. Schumacher, though, he *smiles*. A predatory curve of the mouth, a flicker of pure, unadulterated triumph. This isn't just a victory; it's a declaration. The Italian master has seized the heart of the Principality, and the championship? It's tightening around his fingers. Ferrari's grip grows stronger with every treacherous corner, every daring overtake.