Mclaren had been mighty strong the last 2 years with David coulthard winning them both.

This year he had the chance to be the first British driver to do it since The great Jim Clark.

As always, the Ferrari and Schumacher was strong but so was the Mclaren package.

DC NEEDED a win to keep his slim titel hopes alive..

But the eventual winner would be an almighty popular one given his season was pretty dreadful up to this point.

Drivers standings AFTER the race:-

1 | (DEU) Michael Schumacher | 84
2 | (GBR) David Coulthard | 47
3 | (BRA) Rubens Barrichello | 34
4 | (DEU) Ralf Schumacher | 31
5 | (FIN) Mika Hakkinen | 19
6 | (COL) Juan Pablo Montoya | 15
7 | (DEU) Nick Heidfeld | 10
8 | (FIN) Kimi Raikkonen | 9
9 | (ITA) Jarno Trulli | 9
10 | (CAN) Jacques Villeneuve | 7
11 | (DEU) Heinz-Harald Frentzen | 6
12 | (FRA) Olivier Panis | 5
13 | (GBR) Eddie Irvine | 4
14 | (FRA) Jean Alesi | 3
15 | (NLD) Jos Verstappen | 1
16 | (ESP) Pedro de la Rosa | 1
17 | (ITA) Giancarlo Fisichella | 1

Constructors AFTER race:-

1 | Ferrari | 118
2 | McLaren-Mercedes | 66
3 | Williams-BMW | 46
4 | Sauber-Petronas | 19
5 | Jordan-Honda | 15
6 | BAR-Honda | 12
7 | Jaguar-Cosworth | 5
8 | Prost-Acer | 3
9 | Arrows-Asiatech | 1
10 | Benetton-Renault | 1

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Round 10 saw Ralf Schumacher who was already having a very good season pick up his first ever pole position.

Always nervy when its your first.. But could the younger schumacher stave off the competition form his brother, team mate and the flying Scot Coulthard?

Drivers Standings AFTER the race:-

1 | (DEU) Michael Schumacher | 78
2 | (GBR) David Coulthard | 47
3 | (DEU) Ralf Schumacher | 31
4 | (BRA) Rubens Barrichello | 30
5 | (COL) Juan Pablo Montoya | 12
6 | (DEU) Nick Heidfeld | 9
7 | (FIN) Mika Hakkinen | 9
8 | (ITA) Jarno Trulli | 9
9 | (CAN) Jacques Villeneuve | 7
10 | (FIN) Kimi Raikkonen | 7
11 | (DEU) Heinz-Harald Frentzen | 6
12 | (FRA) Olivier Panis | 5
13 | (GBR) Eddie Irvine | 4
14 | (FRA) Jean Alesi | 3
15 | (NLD) Jos Verstappen | 1
16 | (ESP) Pedro de la Rosa | 1
17 | (ITA) Giancarlo Fisichella | 1

Constructors After Race:-

1 | Ferrari | 108
2 | McLaren-Mercedes | 56
3 | Williams-BMW | 43
4 | Sauber-Petronas | 16
5 | Jordan-Honda | 15
6 | BAR-Honda | 12
7 | Jaguar-Cosworth | 5
8 | Prost-Acer | 3
9 | Arrows-Asiatech | 1
10 | Benetton-Renault | 1

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Pundits were starting to ask if favouring DC Over Hakkinen for the championship was to be a thing?

DC stated he just focused on winning races and that Mika realised the complexity of the situation.

But the Williams were on fire over recent rounds and Montoya (Who at this point, had only finished once in 8 races) NEEDED a result!

After missing the previous race after a HUGE crash, Jordans Heinz Harald Frentzen was back replacing Zonta again.

Drivers Standings AFTER the race:-

1 | (DEU) Michael Schumacher | 68
2 | (GBR) David Coulthard | 44
3 | (BRA) Rubens Barrichello | 26
4 | (DEU) Ralf Schumacher | 25
5 | (COL) Juan Pablo Montoya | 12
6 | (FIN) Mika Hakkinen | 9
7 | (DEU) Nick Heidfeld | 8
8 | (CAN) Jacques Villeneuve | 7
9 | (FIN) Kimi Raikkonen | 7
10 | (ITA) Jarno Trulli | 7
11 | (DEU) Heinz-Harald Frentzen | 6
12 | (FRA) Olivier Panis | 5
13 | (GBR) Eddie Irvine | 4
14 | (FRA) Jean Alesi | 3
15 | (NLD) Jos Verstappen | 1
16 | (ESP) Pedro de la Rosa | 1
17 | (ITA) Giancarlo Fisichella | 1

Constructors:-

1 | Ferrari | 94
2 | McLaren-Mercedes | 53
3 | Williams-BMW | 37
4 | Sauber-Petronas | 15
5 | Jordan-Honda | 13
6 | BAR-Honda | 12
7 | Jaguar-Cosworth | 5
8 | Prost-Acer | 3
9 | Arrows-Asiatech | 1
10 | Benetton-Renault | 1

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Was the championship starting to dwindle already?

Could Coulthard breathe some life back into it?

Well, IT was to be an historic day with the winner and 2nd place making history!

3rd Place would go to a man who SORELY needed it!

For One of the podium finishers, this would already be his 90th marking him as the 2nd ever driver to reach this feat!

Drivers standings AFTER the race:-

1 | (DEU) Michael Schumacher | 58
2 | (GBR) David Coulthard | 40
3 | (BRA) Rubens Barrichello | 24
4 | (DEU) Ralf Schumacher | 22
5 | (DEU) Nick Heidfeld | 8
6 | (FIN) Mika Hakkinen | 8
7 | (CAN) Jacques Villeneuve | 7
8 | (FIN) Kimi Raikkonen | 7
9 | (ITA) Jarno Trulli | 7
10 | (COL) Juan Pablo Montoya | 6
11 | (DEU) Heinz-Harald Frentzen | 6
12 | (FRA) Olivier Panis | 5
13 | (GBR) Eddie Irvine | 4
14 | (FRA) Jean Alesi | 3
15 | (NLD) Jos Verstappen | 1
16 | (ITA) Giancarlo Fisichella | 1
17 | (ESP) Pedro de la Rosa | 1

Constructors AFTER the race:-

1 | Ferrari | 82
2 | McLaren-Mercedes | 48
3 | Williams-BMW | 28
4 | Sauber-Petronas | 15
5 | Jordan-Honda | 13
6 | BAR-Honda | 12
7 | Jaguar-Cosworth | 5
8 | Prost-Acer | 3
9 | Arrows-Asiatech | 1
10 | Benetton-Renault | 1

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Lot of drivers had many reasons to be optimistic here.

David Coulthard, Fresh off that amazing Austria win, took pole position here. (and it would actually become his LAST ever pole)

Schumacher aimed at tying Graham Hills 5 wins at Monaco record.

Eddie Irvine had always gone well here too, but also Mika Hakkinen was looking in good shape.

This could go any which way, unfortunately for one driver, a 1998 Japanese GP repeat was about to ruin it all.

Where a NEW team got its first EVER podium here in 1997, the team that it took over would also get its first podium here.

Michael Schumahcer would also be the first German driver to start 150 races and the Benetton team would be the 10th constructor to start 250 races.

Drivers Standings AFTER the race:-

1 | (DEU) Michael Schumacher | 52
2 | (GBR) David Coulthard | 40
3 | (BRA) Rubens Barrichello | 24
4 | (DEU) Ralf Schumacher | 12
5 | (DEU) Nick Heidfeld | 8
6 | (CAN) Jacques Villeneuve | 7
7 | (ITA) Jarno Trulli | 7
8 | (COL) Juan Pablo Montoya | 6
9 | (DEU) Heinz-Harald Frentzen | 6
10 | (FRA) Olivier Panis | 5
11 | (GBR) Eddie Irvine | 4
12 | (FIN) Kimi Raikkonen | 4
13 | (FIN) Mika Hakkinen | 4
14 | (NLD) Jos Verstappen | 1
15 | (FRA) Jean Alesi | 1
16 | (ITA) Giancarlo Fisichella | 1

Constructors AFTER race:-

1 | Ferrari | 76
2 | McLaren-Mercedes | 44
3 | Williams-BMW | 18
4 | Jordan-Honda | 13
5 | BAR-Honda | 12
6 | Sauber-Petronas | 12
7 | Jaguar-Cosworth | 4
8 | Arrows-Asiatech | 1
9 | Benetton-Renault | 1
10 | Prost-Acer | 1

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The Championship battle was heating up here between Ferrari & Mclaren once more, but again, it would be the Scotsman who would be taking the challenge to Schumacher!

Ron Dennis had publicly shamed DC after his start line stall in Spain (He later retracted the remark though) but the relationship was strained and DC needed to keep his head cool and focus on the races in hand.

Starting 7th, what could he do from there?

Few Stats:-

This would be the last win and fastest lap for a British driver until 2007.

This would be the last ever points finish for the Verstappen name until 2015.

This would be the first EVER race where a Colombian started on the front row.

Drivers Standings AFTER the race:-

1 | (DEU) Michael Schumacher | 42
2 | (GBR) David Coulthard | 38
3 | (BRA) Rubens Barrichello | 18
4 | (DEU) Ralf Schumacher | 12
5 | (DEU) Nick Heidfeld | 8
6 | (ITA) Jarno Trulli | 7
7 | (COL) Juan Pablo Montoya | 6
8 | (DEU) Heinz-Harald Frentzen | 6
9 | (FRA) Olivier Panis | 5
10 | (CAN) Jacques Villeneuve | 4
11 | (FIN) Kimi Raikkonen | 4
12 | (FIN) Mika Hakkinen | 4
13 | (NLD) Jos Verstappen | 1
14 | (ITA) Giancarlo Fisichella | 1

Constructors AFTER the race:-

1 | Ferrari | 60
2 | McLaren-Mercedes | 42
3 | Williams-BMW | 18
4 | Jordan-Honda | 13
5 | Sauber-Petronas | 12
6 | BAR-Honda | 9
7 | Arrows-Asiatech | 1
8 | Benetton-Renault | 1

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Schumacher VS Coulthard..

26 points each going into this race..

But the story of the day was a MEGA return to form for the flying Finn Mika Hakkinen.

There would be one of the biggest last lap genuine heartbreaks that F1 rarely sees too (I am not talking about the whole Nigel Mansell slowing down too early thing either)

There would also be a first ever podium for one driver and the first for his country, and a first podium since 1998 and the first for his team which had been in F1 since 1999!

Slight driver change too..

Gaston Mazzacane was OUT at Prost.

In came Luciano Burti from Jaguar, and Pedro De La Rosa took his seat.

Drivers Standings AFTER the race:-

1 | (DEU) Michael Schumacher | 36
2 | (GBR) David Coulthard | 28
3 | (BRA) Rubens Barrichello | 14
4 | (DEU) Ralf Schumacher | 12
5 | (DEU) Nick Heidfeld | 8
6 | (ITA) Jarno Trulli | 7
7 | (COL) Juan Pablo Montoya | 6
8 | (DEU) Heinz-Harald Frentzen | 6
9 | (CAN) Jacques Villeneuve | 4
10 | (FIN) Mika Hakkinen | 4
11 | (FRA) Olivier Panis | 3
12 | (FIN) Kimi Raikkonen | 1
13 | (ITA) Giancarlo Fisichella | 1

Constructors AFTER the race:-

1 | Ferrari | 50
2 | McLaren-Mercedes | 32
3 | Williams-BMW | 18
4 | Jordan-Honda | 13
5 | Sauber-Petronas | 9
6 | BAR-Honda | 7
7 | Benetton-Renault | 1

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Back to the ever epic Imola circuit where, again, Schumacher M wanted to take a stranglehold on the championship..

The Mclaren boys were not going to let that happen with David Coulthard in scintillating form at this early stage of the season.

A Mclaren 1 - 2 whetted the appetites, but it was Schumacher R... Old Ralfie boy who was in prime position to spoil the silver party!

This would also be the winning constructors FIRST win, Amazingly, since 1997!

This would also be the last ever F1 start for Gaston Mazzacane in the Prost, who would be fired after just 4 races of the new season.

Drivers Standings AFTER the race:-

1 | (DEU) Michael Schumacher | 26
2 | (GBR) David Coulthard | 26
3 | (BRA) Rubens Barrichello | 14
4 | (DEU) Ralf Schumacher | 12
5 | (DEU) Nick Heidfeld | 7
6 | (DEU) Heinz-Harald Frentzen | 6
7 | (FIN) Mika Hakkinen | 4
8 | (ITA) Jarno Trulli | 4
9 | (FRA) Olivier Panis | 3
10 | (ITA) Giancarlo Fisichella | 1
11 | (FIN) Kimi Raikkonen | 1

Constructors AFTER the race:-

1 | Ferrari | 40
2 | McLaren-Mercedes | 30
3 | Williams-BMW | 12
4 | Jordan-Honda | 10
5 | Sauber-Petronas | 8
6 | BAR-Honda | 3
7 | Benetton-Renault | 1

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