The 1998 season

Häkkinen Brings McLaren Back to the Top

Narrower cars and grooved tires reshuffled the order, and Mika Häkkinen's McLaren held off Michael Schumacher's Ferrari all the way to Suzuka.

The rulebook was rewritten to slow the cars down, and it mainly succeeded in changing who was quick. Cars were made narrower, and slick tires disappeared for the first season since 1970, replaced by grooved ones, both measures meant to cut cornering speeds. Renault had withdrawn as a works supplier, Adrian Newey had left Williams for McLaren, and the 1997 champions did not win a single race. McLaren, now on Bridgestones, adapted fastest of all.

The calendar

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