Menagerie F1 : 1998 Spanish Grand Prix

Mika Hakkinen	McLaren-Mercedes BS	1m 20.262s
David Coulthard	McLaren-Mercedes BS	1m 20.996s
Michael Schumacher	Ferrari GY	1m 21.785s
Giancarlo Fisichella	Benetton-Playlife BS	1m 21.894s
Alexander Wurz	Benetton-Playlife BS	1m 21.965s
Eddie Irvine	Ferrari GY	1m 22.350s
Johnny Herbert	Sauber-Petronas GY	1m 22.794s
Damon Hill	Jordan-Mugen Honda GY	1m 22.835s
Rubens Barrichello	Stewart-Ford BS	1m 22.860s
Jacques Villeneuve	Williams-Mecachrome GY	1m 22.885s
Ralf Schumacher	Jordan-Mugen Honda GY	1m 22.927s
Olivier Panis	Prost-Peugeot BS	1m 22.963s
Heinz-Harald Frentzen	Williams-Mecachrome GY	1m 23.197s
Jean Alesi	Sauber-Petronas BS	1m 23.327s
Pedro Diniz	TWR Arrows BS	1m 23.704s
Jarno Trulli	Prost-Peugeot BS	1m 23.748s
Mika Salo	TWR Arrows BS	1m 23.887s
Jan Magnussen	Stewart-Ford BS	1m 24.112s
Esteban Tuero	Minardi-Ford BS	1m 24.265s
Shinji Nakano	Minardi-Ford BS	1m 24.538s
Tora Takagi	Tyrrell-Ford GY	1m 24.722s
107 % rule time:	1m 25.880s
Ricardo Rosset	Tyrrell-Ford GY	1m 25.946s (DNQ)

Fastest Lap :
Mika Hakkinen (McLaren) 1m 24.275s
Lap Record : 1997: Giancarlo Fisichella (Jordan) 1m 22.242s

Analysis :
In a very processional race, Mika Hakinnen ran comfortably ahead of McLaren teammate David Coulthard for all but his pitstops. The Mercedes powered cars lapping all the way up to fourth place.
Michael Schumacher managed to overcome a horrendous start and a 10 second stop and go penalty for exceeding the pitlane speed limit and still take third. Once again Alexander Wurz ran well in the Benetton though he may have been topped by teammate Giancarlo Fisichella had he not fallen foul of Eddie Irvine, who once again blotted his Ferrari copybook, while trying to stop the Italian from taking third.
Despite the changes made to the rear end of the car, the Williams-Mecachromes struggled, noticably down on straight line speed, with Jacques Villeneuve barely taking sixth. Heinz-Harald Frentzen had an awful start, spinning and damaging his nose and then having to claw his way through the field to eigth.
Johnny Herbert was back on form, easily out pacing Jean Alesi, but the most pleasant surprise was Rubens Barrichello in the much maligned Stewart-Ford. With the help of new suspension parts and a new version of the Zetec engine, he kept the current World Champion behind all day. Teammate Jan Magnussen, also ran strongly despite not having the newer engine fitted to his car.
Overall there were very few mechanical failures, the notable exception being the Arrows cars which suffered the embarrassment of having their engines expire simultaneously as they came down the front straight!

Hakkinen now takes the upper hand in the championship, though the next race (in Monaco) has a history of strange results. All we need is a little bit of rain and things could be wide open once again.

	1998 Spanish Grand Prix
Circuit de Catalunya Barcelona 2.94 miles May 10th 1998

Mika Hakkinen	McLaren-Mercedes BS	1h 33m 37.621s
David Coulthard	McLaren-Mercedes BS	1h 33m 47.060s
Michael Schumacher	Ferrari GY	1h 34m 24.715s
Alexander Wurz	Benetton-Playlife BS	1h 34m 40.159s
Rubens Barrichello	Stewart-Ford BS	1 lap down
Jacques Villeneuve	Williams-Mecachrome GY	1 lap down