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The 1998 Hungarian Grand Prix
Hungaroring, 14-16th August
Sunday - Race
Johnny's comments:
"In retrospect I screwed up with my set-up in qualifying, trying something that
didn't come off. This morning we reverted to the standard set-up and the car was totally
different. Unfortunately, when you start 15th it's tough. We all lost a hell of a lot of
time behind Diniz, but once I got by the car felt very good and my times were competitive.
"The team's strategy was very intelligent, with our short middle stint, and quick
stops helped make up ground on Ralf. Unfortunately the tyres had gone off completely over
the last 10 laps, and I lost it on the penultimate corner, so he repassed me for ninth.
But for me it wasn't a bad race, and we have a good direction for the future. "
Jean Alesi's comments:
"Once again I had a good start, and all afternoon I was quicker than both
Benettons. We were able to run very close together fighting initially for sixth place, but
on the 21st lap the electronic throttle bipper didn't work properly when I was changing
down a gear. The rear end locked up momentarily and I ran wide and slid into the gravel,
but I was able to get straight back on to the track and didn't actually lose too much
time. After that I really pushed very hard, and our strategy and pitwork was very good
again.
"The car was very, very consistent, and we just need a little bit more of
everything to be closer to the top guys. I needed maybe another lap and I would have
caught Hakkinen for the last point, but as it was the race was not long enough!"
Peter Sauber's comments:
"Extraordinarily good work in the pits, together with a perfect, flexible strategy
made it possible to get Jean past Fisichella and Johnny past Ralf Schumacher. Both Jean
and Johnny drove fast and spirited races."
Race results:
1. Michael Schumacher, Ferrari: 1hr 45mins 25.550s
2. David Coulthard, McLaren-Mercedes: +9.433
3. Jacques Villeneuve, Williams-Mecachrome: +44.444s
4. Damon Hill, Jordan-Mugen Honda: + 55.075s
5. H-H Frentzen, Williams-Mecachrome: +56.510s
6. Mika Hakkinen, McLaren-Mercedes: +1 lap
7. Jean Alesi, Sauber-Petronas: +1 lap
8. Giancarlo Fisichella, Benetton-Playlife: +1 lap
9. Ralf Schumacher, Jordan-Mugen Honda: +1 lap
10. Johnny Herbert, Sauber-Petronas: +1 lap
Saturday - Qualifying
Johnny's comments by e-mail direct from the circuit:
"Today was not a good session. I tried a different set-up for this type of circuit
and this was not the way to go. I am very disappointed with today's result as this has
always been a good circuit for me, but I did get the set-up needed to get the time I know
I could do.
"Tomorrow I will change the set of the car and I am sure the car will be better
and so I hope that I can retrieve a top six finish."
Johnny live in Hungary
Johnny's comments (Sauber Press Release):
"This morning the car was again twitchy, and I had a spin which damaged the
undertray. We changed things a little for qualifying, and after my first run we did
another change which unfortunately made the car worse. I spun at the second corner and
lost my second run as a result, and then lost more time because of confusion over whether
I had sufficient fuel to do a final two-lap stint. In the end that was academic, because I
hit traffic in the second timed segment, so that chance was ruined too. All in all, a
frustrating afternoon."
Jean Alesi's comments:
"Yesterday we had too much understeer, today too much oversteer. But we left the
car as it was for qualifying an I just did my best. The performance of both team and car
is stable, and we seem to be in a zone where just a couple of tenths off the lap time
would make a big difference to our grid position and thus our chance of scoring points.
The only way ahead is to keep up the hard work and to keep pushing.
"I felt I might have been able to go a little quicker on my final run today, but
unfortunately there was too much traffic and I had to be content with my time from my
second."
Peter Sauber's comments:
"Compared to our closest competitors Jean's time was good, but unfortunately his
grid position is poor reward for the effort. Johnny had some trouble this morning, and
this continued into qualifying. Especially here in Hungary I felt that he was capable of a
performance similar to Jean's."
Johnny spins on his last run
After their first runs, Johnny was trading fastest times with team-mate throughout the
session. Unfortunately, whilst Johnny was on a flyer during his final session, attempting
to better Jean's time, he spun off. As a result, he finished in 15th place, two rows and
0.67s behind.
Qualifying times
1. Mika Hakkinen, McLaren-Mercedes: 1min 16.973s
2. David Coulthard, McLaren-Mercedes: +0.158s
3. Michael Schumacher, Ferrari: +0.393
4. Damon Hill, Jordan-Mugen Honda: +1.241s
5. Eddie Irvine, Ferrari: +1.352s
6. Jacques Villeneuve, Williams-Mecachrome - 1:20.441
7. H-H Frentzen, Williams-Mecachrome: +2.056s
8. Giancarlo Fisichella, Benetton-Playlife: +2.077s
9. Alex Wurz, Benetton-Playlife: +2.090s
10. Ralf Schumacher, Jordan-Mugen Honda: +2.198s
11. Jean Alesi, Sauber-Petronas: + 2.237s
15. Johnny Herbert, Sauber-Petronas: +2.905s
Friday - Practice
Johnny's comments:
"There wasn't much point in running this morning when it was wet because even if
it rains tomorrow, the track will by then have had so much extra rubber laid on it that it
wouldn't be anything like it was this morning.
"Halfway through the session this afternoon we made a couple of changes to my new
chassis which helped the grip and improved the balance slightly, but my main problem once
more was a poor downchange in the gearbox. This upset the car under braking and made it
very tricky to drive. On the positive side I only used a set of tyres, unlike some of
those ahead of me."
Jean Alesi's comments:
"As usual with the first day of free practice, it's difficult to know what the
others were doing. For me, it was an incident-free day, and I only used a set of tyres.
The car wasn't fantastic, and we need to improve the traction in particular, but I think
we can achieve our target tomorrow of qualifying in the top 10."
Times from first practice:
1. David Coulthard, McLaren-Mercedes - 1:19.989
2. Mika Hakkinen, McLaren-Mercedes - 1:20.186
3. Michael Schumacher, Ferrari - 1:20.439
4. Jacques Villeneuve, Williams-Mecachrome - 1:20.441
5. Eddie Irvine, Ferrari - 1:20.778
6. Damon Hill, Jordan-Mugen Honda - 1:20.779
7. Giancarlo Fisichella, Benetton-Playlife - 1:21.110
8. Ralf Schumacher, Jordan-Mugen Honda - 1:21.198
9. H-H Frentzen, Williams-Mecachrome - 1:21.218
10. Rubens Barrichello, Stewart-Ford - 1:21.414
11. Johnny Herbert, Sauber-Petronas - 1:21.571
12. Jos Verstappen, Stewart-Ford - 1:21.903
13. Jean Alesi, Sauber-Petronas - 1:21.990
Every effort is made to ensure factual accuracy but
no responsibility is accepted for this information.
Photos by kind permission of Sauber.
Last updated 16th August 1998
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