1998 Argentine Grand Prix

Results from the 1998 Formula One Argentine Grand Prix held at Autódromo Oscar Alfredo Gálvez, Buenos Aires on April 12, 1998.

Race Summary

At the start of the race, Michael Schumacher is caught out by Mika Hakkinen, while David Coulthard maintains his first place. Michael passes Mika at the start of the second lap. On the same lap Eddie Irvine overtakes Heinz-Harold Frentzen. By lap 4, Michael caught up with David, and on the next lap the Scotsman takes the wrong line, and Michael goes past. The two cars touch, and David slides of the track, and rejoins in sixth place. Behind Mika Hakkinen and the two Ferraris, Jacques Villeneuve is under attack from Jean Alesi, and David Coulthard. When Esteban Tuero comes into the pits, one of his tyres are missing. Eventually, one of the mechanics find it in the garage. In the lead, Michael is heading for victory, even though he slids of the track a few times due to the rain.

Classification

Pos	No	Driver	Team	Laps	Time/Retired	Grid	Points
1	3	Michael Schumacher	Ferrari	72	1'48:36.1	2	10
2	8	Mika Häkkinen	McLaren-Mercedes	72	22.898	3	6
3	4	Eddie Irvine	Ferrari	72	57.745	4	4
4	6	Alexander Wurz	Benetton-Playlife	72	+1:08.134	8	3
5	14	Jean Alesi	Sauber-Petronas	72	+1:18.286	11	2
6	7	David Coulthard	McLaren-Mercedes	72	+1:19.751	1	1
7	5	Giancarlo Fisichella	Benetton-Playlife	72	+1:28.437	10
8	9	Damon Hill	Jordan-Mugen-Honda	71	+1 Lap	9
9	2	Heinz-Harald Frentzen	Williams-Mecachrome	71	+1 Lap	6
10	18	Rubens Barrichello	Stewart-Ford	70	+2 Laps	14
11	12	Jarno Trulli	Prost-Peugeot	70	+2 Laps	16
12	21	Toranosuke Takagi	Tyrrell-Ford	70	+2 Laps	13
13	22	Shinji Nakano	Minardi-Ford	69	+3 Laps	19
14	20	Ricardo Rosset	Tyrrell-Ford	68	+4 Laps	21
15	11	Olivier Panis	Prost-Peugeot	65	Engine	15
Ret	23	Esteban Tuero	Minardi-Ford	63	Spun off	20
Ret	1	Jacques Villeneuve	Williams-Mecachrome	52	Collision	7
Ret	15	Johnny Herbert	Sauber-Petronas	46	Collision	12
Ret	10	Ralf Schumacher	Jordan-Mugen-Honda	22	Suspension	5
Ret	17	Mika Salo	Arrows	18	Gearbox	17
Ret	19	Jan Magnussen	Stewart-Ford	17	Transmission	22
Ret	16	Pedro Diniz	Arrows	13	Gearbox	18

Starting Grid

Pos	No	Driver	Team	Lap Time
1	7	David Coulthard	McLaren-Mercedes	1:25.852
2	3	Michael Schumacher	Ferrari	1:26.251
3	8	Mika Hakkinen	McLaren-Mercedes	1:26.632
4	4	Eddie Irvine	Ferrari	1:26.780
5	10	Ralf Schumacher	Jordan-Mugen-Honda	1:26.827
6	2	Heinz-Harold Frentzen	Williams-Mecachrome	1:26.876
7	1	Jacques Villeneuve	Williams-Mecachrome	1:26.941
8	6	Alex Wurz	Benetton-Playlife	1:27.198
9	9	Damon Hill	Jordan-Mugen-Honda	1:27.483
10	5	Giancarlo Fisichella	Benetton-Playlife	1:27.836
11	14	Jean Alesi	Sauber-Petronas	1:27.839
12	15	Johnny Herbert	Sauber-Petronas	1:28.016
13	18	Toranosuke Takagi	Tyrrell-Ford	1:28.811
14	18	Rubens Barrichello	Stewart-Ford	1:29.375
15	11	Olivier Panis	Sauber-Petronas	1:29.320
16	19	Jarno Trulli	Sauber-Petronas	1:29.352
17	17	Mika Salo	Arrows	1:29.617
18	16	Pedro Diniz	Arrows	1:29.617
19	22	Shinji Nakano	Minardi-Ford	1:30.054
20	23	Esteban Tuero	Minardi-Ford	1:30.158
21	20	Ricardo Rosset	Tyrrell-Ford	1:30.437
22	19	Jan Magnussen	Stewart-Ford	1:31.178

Standings After Grand Prix

Drivers

• 1 Mika Hakkinen - McLaren-Mercedes - 26
• 2 Michael Schumacher - Ferrari - 14
• 3 David Coulthard - McLaren-Mercedes - 13
• 4 Eddie Irvine - Ferrari - 7
• 5= Heinz-Harold Frentzen - Williams-Mecachrome - 6
• 5= Alex Wurz - Benetton-Playlife - 6
• 7= Jean Alesi - Sauber-Petronas - 2
• 7= Jacques Villeneuve - Williams-Mecachrome - 2
• 9= Johnny Herbert - Sauber-Petronas - 1
• 9= Giancarlo Fisichella - Benetton-Playlife - 1

Constructers

• 1 McLaren-Mercedes - 39
• 2 Ferrari - 21
• 3 Williams-Mecachrome - 8
• 4 Benetton-Playlife - 7
• 5 Sauber-Petronas - 3

Notes

• Fastest Lap: Alexander Wurz 1m 28.179s
• This was the last Formula 1 Argentine Grand Prix.
• Leaders: David Coulthard 1-4, Michael Schumacher 5-28 and 43-72, Mika Hakkinen 29-42.