Sunday 27 September 1998
Race morning warm-up
WEATHER CONDITIONS: overcast, cool.

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McLarens first and second
The McLaren-Mercedes MP4/13s of Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard set first
and second fastest times in this morning's warm-up, both men completing
single laps in their spare cars.

The handling balance was slightly better than yesterday and the team are
hoping for either dry weather or heavy rain for the race, nothing in
between.

Fisichella third for Benetton
Giancarlo Fisichella wound up third fastest in his Benetton-Playlife, the
best result he has achieved so far this season in a warm-up session. He
made a few chassis set-up adjustments and hopes that the weather conditions
will remain unchanged for the race. Alexander Wurz was happy with sixth
fastest time despite a touch too much understeer.

Ferraris confident
Michael Schumacher and Eddie Irvine ran both their race chassis and spare
F300s this morning, both drivers preferring their race chassis. Michael did
a little bit more set-up work but otherwise both drivers were extremely
satisfied.

Ralf Schumacher seventh
Ralf Schumacher was pleased with the feel of his Jordan Mugen-Honda,
setting seventh fastest time despite a slight clutch problem and a spin at
the first corner on what he thought would be the quickest lap of the day.
Damon Hill wound up 11th, feeling that the conditions were a little too
cool for optimum grip, surviving a straight-on moment across the chicane
during the session.

Williams eighth and tenth
The Williams-Mecachromes of Jacques Villeneuve and Heinz-Harald Frentzen
set eighth and tenth fastest times, both drivers feeling happier about the
FW20's balance, particularly on full tanks. Minor set-up changes were made
and Villeneuve survived a huge fishtailing slide exiting the final corner
on cold tyres at the start of his first flying lap. He later stopped out on
the circuit with unspecified mechanical problems.

Briefly:
Jean Alesi said his Sauber-Petronas felt better balanced with a lot of fuel
on board, but Johnny Herbert began the session with a totally new set-up
which left him with massive understeer. He changed the set-up again but did
not totally eliminate the problem...Olivier Panis found a new set-up for
his last run which eliminated most of his Prost-Peugeot's understeer while
Jarno Trulli was happy with his car...Shinji Nakano had a straight-on
moment over a chicane kerb with his Minardi-Ford...both Arrows drivers
complained of excessive understeer and lack of grip.

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Sunday 27 September 1998
RACE FACTS

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At the start Michael Schumacher gets off the line slightly slower than his
Ferrari team-mate Eddie Irvine and the two McLarens. This means that it is
Eddie who leads into the first corner with Schumacher second ahead of
Hakkinen, Coulthard and Giancarlo Fisichella. Behind the Italian is his
fast-starting team-mate Alexander Wurz. Further back Jacques Villeneuve
makes a great start but then runs slightly wide at the first corner,
allowing Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Ralf Schumacher to stay ahead of him.

Further back Damon Hill runs 10th ahead of a fast-starting Rubens
Barrichello and the two Saubers, Jean Alesi leading Johnny Herbert.

At the end of the first lap Irvine runs over a kerb at the chicane and runs
wide, allowing Schumacher to get alongside and Michael takes the lead as
they go into the final corner. Schumacher begins to build up a lead while
Hakkinen is behind Irvine.

On lap five Barrichello makes a mistake and drops behind the Saubers and
two laps later Jarno Trulli and Pedro Diniz both retire with mechanical
trouble.

Schumacher is able to build a lead of around five seconds while Hakkinen
closes on Irvine and on lap 13 challenges at the chicane. The move fails
but on the next lap Hakkinen gets ahead of Irvine and begins to chase
Schumacher, setting four fastest laps in the course of the next seven laps
and gradually begins to reel Michael in. He then makes a mistake and loses
a few tenths but then begins to close again.

Schumacher pits on lap 24 and Hakkinen puts in a burst of speed, setting
another fastest lap. In the course of the next few laps Irvine, Frentzen,
the Benettons and the Jordans all pit but Hakkinen stays out, lapping very
quickly, until lap 28 when he pits. He comes out just ahead of Schumacher.

For the next 10 laps the pair run within a second of one another, neither
making any mistakes while behind them Coulthard runs a lonely third while
Irvine has his hands full with pressure from Frentzen and the two
Benettons. On lap 38 Fisichella scrambles past Frentzen but the following
lap he runs wide and loses places to Heinz-Harald and Wurz.

On lap 39 Hakkinen breaks through the one second mark and tenth by tenth
builds his lead as the second stops approach. On lap 47 Schumacher pits and
on the next lap Hakkinen comes in, emerging in the lead once again. During
the pit stop sequence Ralf Schumacher does a good job to get ahead of the
closely-matched Frentzen, Fisichella and Wurz to take fifth place.
Unfortunately Ralf goes off on lap 53 and has to retire with brake
problems.

The rest of the field do their pit stops, the only change in the order
being that Fisichella is able to get ahead of Wurz once again.

Hakkinen leads Schumacher by around five seconds and then there is a long
gap back to Coulthard. A long way behind him is Irvine, a few seconds ahead
of a battling Frentzen and Fisichella with Wurz right behind them. Further
back comes Villeneuve being chased by Hill.

In the final laps Hakkinen slows down a little and Schumacher is able to
close to within 2.2 seconds at the flag after a tense and fascinating
battle.

Hakkinen and Schumacher head to Suzuka with the Finn ahead in the World
Championship by four points.

--- Msged/386 4.20 beta 4