The F1 Career Story [1999-2024]

MIKA HÄKKINEN WINS TITANIC BATTLE WITH MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

He ended up narrowly in front after the second series of pit stops and he didn't let the pole sitter get back passed after that. Mika Häkkinen claimed his first victory after an epic battle against Michael Schumacher, who finished less than half a second behind the defending world champion at the end, after 60 laps.

Rubens Barrichello drove into the back of Heinz-Harald Frentzen and dropped back, as did Giancarlo Fisichella who picked up a puncture due to the incident between the aforementioned two drivers.

Quite quickly two Ferraris and two McLarens separated themselves from the rest of the back. Behind them Ralf Schumacher, Alex Zanardi, Alex Wurz and Johnny Herbert were fighting for the remaining points. Surprisingly in 9th was Daniel Marzec in a Minardi. And just when Damon Hill was overtaking him after a bad start, Herbert had to park his Stewart-Ford with technical malaise.

Marzec could stay in 9th therefore, but was far away from points. Damon Hill only managed to get Alex Wurz via a good pit stop strategy, while Zanardi had a successful undercut on his team mate Ralf Schumacher. With both Williams ending 5th and 6th, the first 3 points of the season were finally on the board: the team has the ambition to at least retain their third place in the constructor's championship in the run-up to the partnership next year with BMW.

But the real fireworks was the battle up front between Michael Schumacher and two McLarens. First, it looked as if pole sitter Schumacher had the edge over his competitors. However, Coulthard (as initially the leading McLaren) was instructed to follow Schumacher in strategy, while Häkkinen would go alternative.

The lead two, like most drivers, were on a three stop strategy. But where Schumacher and Coulthard followed a soft-hard-soft-hard pattern, only two drivers followed a soft-soft-hard-hard strategy. Those were Häkkinen and Marzec; the two that finished a little higher than expected. Häkkinen managed to jump over Schumacher and Coulthard by the time the third round of pit stops were completed and did not give up his P1 anymore.

With his win, Mika Häkkinen is now well back in the fight, despite a DNF in Melbourne. David Coulthard is still championship leader, having finished evey race on the podium, albeit every subsequent race a step lower on the podium. The next race, round 4 of the 1999 Formula One Championship is in Monaco.