Hakkinen vs Schumacher
The Silver Arrows Strike Back
The Story
The 1998 season saw McLaren-Mercedes arrive with a dominant car, the MP4/13, and Mika Hakkinen win the opening two races by enormous margins. But Michael Schumacher and Ferrari refused to go quietly, mounting a remarkable fightback through the middle of the season. The battle was defined by iconic moments: Schumacher winning in the rain at Silverstone while Hakkinen spun, the Belgian Grand Prix pile-up, and Schumacher's drive-through penalty in the British Grand Prix. The title fight went to the final round in Suzuka, where Schumacher stalled on the grid, dropped to the back, and then suffered a tyre puncture while recovering. Hakkinen won the race and his first World Championship, ending Schumacher's two-year reign.
Points Progression
| Race | Häkkinen | Schumacher | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian GP | 10 | 0 | Häkkinen +10 |
| Brazilian GP | 20 | 4 | Häkkinen +16 |
| Argentine GP | 26 | 14 | Häkkinen +12 |
| San Marino GP | 26 | 20 | Häkkinen +6 |
| Spanish GP | 36 | 24 | Häkkinen +12 |
Final Standings
| Pos | Driver | Team | Wins | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mika Häkkinen | McLaren | 8 | 100 |
| 2 | Michael Schumacher | Ferrari | 6 | 86 |
| 3 | David Coulthard | McLaren | 1 | 56 |
| 4 | Eddie Irvine | Ferrari | 0 | 47 |
| 5 | Jacques Villeneuve | Williams | 0 | 21 |
| 6 | Damon Hill | Jordan | 1 | 20 |
| 7 | Heinz-Harald Frentzen | Williams | 0 | 17 |
| 8 | Alexander Wurz | Benetton | 0 | 17 |
| 9 | Giancarlo Fisichella | Benetton | 0 | 16 |
| 10 | Ralf Schumacher | Jordan | 0 | 14 |