In sporting context, one of the exciting parts of any year is the first weekend leading up to the F1 race. Like every year in the recent past, Australia is the destination that gets to host the F1 circus led by Bernie Ecclestone. A lot of incidents have engulfed the initial race - though none would have the drama which the final races are usually associated with. However, the first race often indicates what to expect and how teams are placed with their competitiveness. More than anything none can beat the excitement of a season opener.
The year 1998 was one such scenario. The team of Mika
Hakkinen and the Scot David Coulthard recorded stunning lap times in the
pre-season testing and the MP4/13 was tipped to be the 'best' car on circuit. This
was McLaren's year on paper and the only way it was going to be achieved is
when their drivers do not take out each other in the heat of the battle.
In view of this, David Coulthard and Mika Hakkinen made a
pre-race pact whereby "whichever of the two was ahead taking the turn to
the first corner would be allowed to stay at number one for the rest of the
Grand Prix unless there were to be any mishaps."
As predicted the two McLarens dominated the qualifying
session with Mika Hakkinen taking the pole and his team mate coming in second.
The fiercely fought rivals in the previous season Michael Schumacher and
Jacques Villeneuve were in 3rd and 4th respectively. The
silver-arrows duo were 0.7 seconds clear of the rest of the cars and certainly
looked to be racing on another planet. Anything less than 1-2 to McLaren would
have been a unhappy weekend. A first one-two pole for McLaren since Adelaide
1991 when Senna and Berger had put the two cars on the front row was anything
but surprise.
The five red lights went off and race began - Mika Hakkinen
ahead of Coulthard coming into turn one. Unless there were to be any incidents,
the race was firmly decided in Mika's favour. With Coulthard not willing to try
harder to make an attempt to pass Hakkinen, it was clear how the race would finish
as per the pre-race pact. The only driver that could match Hakkinen's pace was
his teammate while rest of the field were off the pace. Michael Schumacher
unsuccessfully made attempts to overtake the Scotsman and eventually retired on
lap six owing to engine trouble. It would have been an uphill task even if he
were to be racing.
With none of the other drivers able to stay with the
McLarens, it seemed like the Hakkinen and Coulthard would coast to victory
without having to look at their rear-view mirrors. On lap 36 when Hakkinen was
just about to lap Eddie Irvine, he heard
blurred messages on his radio. Mika chasing Eddie Irvine was close to the pit-
lane entry and without thinking and confirming with the team he dashed into the
pits (he was nearing his pit stop schedule). While rest of the field were going
flat-out, the race leader cruising in pit lane speed limits found no mechanics
in the garage and he simply drove straight on and rejoined rest of the cars. It
was an misjudgement on the part of Mika.
This unplanned diversion cost Mika the lead and he was now
behind his team mate by 13 seconds. On lap 41, this time Mika came in for his
scheduled and final pit stop of the race. Mika known to be ice cool was anxious
and in that nervous moment made an error. He dropped his clutch while one of
his mechanics was working on his left rear wheel. It didn't cost much time. He
came out and still was in second position - 41 seconds behind. That huge lead
was short-lived as Coulthard dashed his way in for his final stop of the race. With
fifteen laps to go, it was 1-2 McLaren and it was a mere formality for the rest
of the race. Drivers barring McLaren duo were battling the race of attrition. By
this time only nine cars out of twenty-two were on track and a lap down.
McLaren crew took some time, close to eight laps after that
detour from Hakkinen to inform David Coulthard about Hakkinen losing his lead
owing to a misunderstanding.
Towards the fag end of the race, Hakkinen was racing a
second quicker than Coulthard and on lap 53 he took 3 seconds out of
Coulthard's lead - the next lap add another two seconds. With just three laps
remaining Coulthard's car was within striking distance to Mika's. Next moment Mika
takes the lead in a manner quite strange and unsatisfactory!
'It was a very difficult decision to take. But I was alone
in front without any pressure, which allowed me to think about it calmly and to
reach the decision that this was Mika's race by right.' This was the
explanation given by Coulthard post-race when asked about this bizarre move. McLaren
and David Coulthard were criticised and the matter went to World Motorsports
Council. The verdict went this way - "Any future act prejudicial to the
interests of the competition should be severely punished in accordance with the
article 151c of the International Sporting Code."
In 2007 at the Monaco Grand Prix, McLaren were criticised for ordering their
cars not to race each other after the first round of pit stops, when it was
clearly established McLaren duo of Alonso and Hamilton were much superior to
the rest of the pack. To add to Hamilton's frustration, he was told not to race
Alonso.
The above matter again raised the question of possible
violation of article 151c. Ron Dennis defended the move by stating - "Team
strategy is what you bring to bear to win a grand prix. Team orders are what
you bring to bear to manipulate a grand prix. We do not and have not
manipulated grands prix, unless there were some exceptional circumstances,
which occurred in Australia (1998), when someone had tapped into our radio and
instructed Mika Hakkinen to enter the pits."
He went on to add - "He
entered the pits and I reversed that, because that was unfair, that was an
outside influence on the outcome of the race. That is one of the rare occasions
that there's been a team order. I have a clear conscience, both on that
particular race - and this race today."
The 1998 Australian GP was Mika Hakkinen's second victory and
both times under controversial circumstances. Was it a team order or Coulthard's
gentlemanly gesture? I would say it had good proportions of both. In the end,
the result didn't matter - Hakkinen was much superior and went on to win his
maiden World championship title.
