Formula 1
Hungarian GP McLaren race notes
HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX 1998 - RACE DAY Chassis Numbers: Mika Hakkinen: MP4-13 / 05 David Coulthard: MP4-13 / 07 T. Car: MP4-13 / 04 The West McLaren Mercedes team had a frustrating day. The race started well with Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard ...
Edited: May 8, 2001, 12:19 PM
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HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX 1998 - RACE DAY
Chassis Numbers: Mika Hakkinen: MP4-13 / 05 David Coulthard: MP4-13 / 07 T. Car: MP4-13 / 04
The West McLaren Mercedes team had a frustrating day. The race started well with Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard leading into the first corner from their eighth all West McLaren Mercedes front row of the season. However, a handling problem on Mika 's car meant that he dropped to sixth position by the chequered flag. David drove a tiring race but took second position on the podium for the third time this year.
MIKA HAKKINEN 'The start of the race was good for me, I had David in my mirrors all the time so I was driving more or less flat out, but I felt quite comfortable about that. Then I decided to push even harder just before my first tyre stop and I built up a little gap. The first tyre change was perfect but a short while before the second stop I started to experience what felt like oversteer, but I wasn't one hundred per cent sure what the problem was. After the second tyre stop the car was impossible to drive, especially over the bumps and through the corners. So, we will have to wait until the team have checked the car before we really know what the problem was.'
DAVID COULTHARD 'Everything initially seemed to be going well, Mika got off the line better than me and I pulled into second place and we started to open the gap to Michael. Then everything changed round; it became apparent that Michael was on a three stopper and I was able to run quicker than Mika so I overtook but there was no way I could run at the same pace at that stage. Add to that being held up by some traffic and the damage was done - he increased his advantage and won the race.'
RON DENNIS 'Not the result we had worked hard for all weekend. David struggled with handling on his third set of tyres which allowed Michael to optimise his own strategy. We have yet to diagnose Mika's problem but it certainly is severe and effectively made the handling of his car impossible. At this stage we believe the car has suffered some sort of failure in the front suspension system but this is purely speculative. When we have disassembled the car we will be able to accurately diagnose the problem.
NORBERT HAUG 'We certainly did not make the best out of our package today. Mika's handling problems have yet to be clarified but never the less, David was second. The performance in the latter half of the race from all of us was not good, so we did not deserve the victory. Congratulations to Ferrari and Michael Schumacher they beat us fair and square, but don't worry we will keep on fighting to maintain our lead and win the Formula One World Championship for Drivers' and Constructors until after Suzuka.'
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