Eighth round of the Formula 1 World Championship in 1998, the Grand Prix of France is located in mid-season. Contested on the track of Magny-Cours, the event sees arriving Mika Hakkinen as championship leader, with three wins against two for Michael sSchumacher. The German remains on an ideal success in Canada and intends to confirm what could be a reversal of the balance of power.
During qualifying, Häkkinen confirms the formidable speed of the McLaren by winning pole position, but Schumacher manages to hoist himself to the front row by his side, ahead of the other Silver Arrow by David Coulthard.
On Sunday June 28, 1998, when the lights went out, the Stewart-Ford Jos Verstappen stalls on the grid and causes a red flag. The second starting procedure is the right one and, despite a good impulse, Häkkinen is surprised before the first corner both by Schumacher but also by the other Ferrari of Eddie Irvine. The Finn does not know it yet, but he has lost the race and will not see the two red cars again.
Dominant, Schumacher leaves only crumbs to the competition and wins with twenty seconds ahead of his teammate, able to resist Häkkinen until the end. With Schumacher and Irvine, La Scuderia has above all signed its first double for several years. The previous one went back eight years earlier, in 1990, with a victory ofAlain Prost in front of Nigel Mansell at the Spanish Grand Prix. At the time, it was the 42nd double for the Italian team in F1, which to date has 84.
“We are for the first time really able to beat the McLarens. It is the end of their supremacy”, then assures Schumacher, also welcoming the progress of the manufacturer Goodyear. However, despite this surging confidence, confirmed by a third consecutive success at Silverstone, he will not be able to deprive Häkkinen of the world title that year.
