1999 Australian Grand Prix
| Racing data | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1st of 16 races in the 1999 Formula 1 World Championship | ||
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| Surname: | LXIV Qantas Australian Grand Prix | |
| Date: | March 7, 1999 | |
| Place: | Melbourne | |
| Course: | Albert Park Circuit | |
| Length: | 302.271 km in 57 laps of 5.303 km
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| Planned: | 307.574 km in 58 laps of 5.303 km | |
| Weather: | sunny and warm | |
| Spectator: | ~ 118,000 | |
| Pole position | ||
| Driver: |
 Mika Hakkinen
|
 McLaren-Mercedes
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| Time: | 1: 30.462 min | |
| Fastest lap | ||
| Driver: |
 Michael sSchumacher
|
 Ferrari
|
| Time: | 1: 32.112 min (lap 55) | |
| Podium | ||
| First: |
Eddie Irvine
|
Ferrari
|
| Second: |
Heinz-Harald Frentzen
|
 Jordan-Mugen-Honda
|
| Third: |
Ralf Schumacher
|
Williams-Supertec
|
|
Leadership laps
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The Australian Grand Prix 1999 (officially LXIV Qantas Australian Grand Prix ) took place on 7 March at the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne instead and was the first race of the Formula 1 World Championship in 1999 . Eddie Irvine took first place ahead of Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Ralf Schumacher .
report
background
This season there have been a few new drivers who have returned to Formula 1: Pedro de la Rosa , Marc Gené and Ricardo Zonta all made their debuts and Luca Badoer and Alessandro Zanardi returned.
training
Friday training
Heinz-Harald Frentzen was the first pilot to do a timed lap. Michael Schumacher and Olivier Panis were initially unable to complete any laps because they had problems with their cars. At the beginning of the training session, Alexander Wurz and Badoer came off the track briefly, but were able to continue training without any problems. Mika Häkkinen set the fastest time during the session, but on his second attempt, Häkkinen spun in the last corner and hit the barrier. The meeting was interrupted for 15 minutes with the red flag in order to recover the badly demolished car. Häkkinen himself was unharmed. Pedro Diniz had to give up the training early because of a technical defect, Jean Alesi because of an accident and Zonta because of a broken transmission. David Coulthard set the fastest time by 14 thousandths with 1: 31.971. Third-placed Rubens Barrichello was almost a full second behind the McLaren duo. Marc Gené achieved 20th place with a time of 1: 36.481; this time secured the Spaniard's participation in the race.
All drivers were placed within six and a half seconds.
Saturday training
Ralf Schumacher , Frentzen, Coulthard and finally Häkkinen ensured the first best times. Marc Gené and Damon Hill spun into the gravel before the first break and Zonta had to give up again due to a gearbox defect. After the interruption, Wurz provided another red flag when he turned into the wall on the route. Häkkinen secured the fastest time ahead of his teammate Coulthard with a time of 1: 30.324. The first McLaren chaser, Johnny Herbert, was more than two seconds behind Häkkinen.
With the exception of Zonta, who could only do one out-lap, all drivers were placed within six and a half seconds.
Qualifying
Herbert, followed by Zanardi, was the first driver to set the fastest time. Both McLaren drivers had problems during the session, so Häkkinen made a mistake on his first attempt and Coulthard spun into the gravel, but was able to continue the session. Gené also spun off the track and could no longer start qualifying. As in the previous year , Häkkinen was able to secure pole position ahead of Coulthard with 1: 30.462. Michael Schumacher was in third place with around one and a half seconds, followed by Barrichello, Frentzen and Eddie Irvine .
All drivers were placed within six and a half seconds, the last placed Gené missed the 107 percent time by almost half a second , but was still allowed to take part in the race because his training times were considered sufficient.
Warm-up
Zanardi had to use the replacement car due to electrical problems, Hill drove into the tire wall during the meeting after the accelerator got stuck, Ralf Schumacher stayed in the gravel bed and Alesi and Zonta collided together. Coulthard secured the fastest lap with 1: 32.560, ahead of Häkkinen, who is around a tenth behind. The third fastest driver, Michael Schumacher, is a full second behind.
With the exception of Damon Hill, who had an accident on his out lap, all drivers were placed within six seconds.
run
Before the start of the race
While all of the drivers were making their way to the grid before the warm-up lap, there were problems with Häkkinen's car. McLaren decided to switch to the reserve car and Häkkinen hit the track just before the pit lane closed.
First start
At the end of the warm-up lap, a small fire started in the underbody of both Stewart cars because the oil had ignited from a leak. The first start was canceled, the fire was extinguished and Barrichello switched to the replacement car while Herbert could not take part in the second start without an available car. The race was cut by one lap to 57 laps.
Second start
At the start of the second introductory lap, Häkkinen could not start and stayed in his starting position. Michael Schumacher, who was waiting behind, could not drive away and waited until his gearbox jumped out of neutral shortly afterwards and the engine stopped. Häkkinen was able to drive away before the last one from qualifying, Marc Gené, passed him and was thus allowed to keep his first place on the grid, while Schumacher only got away afterwards and had to start the race from the penultimate place. Takagi's Arrows engine also died at the start and took last place. Since Barrichello had to start from the pit lane, the second row behind the two McLarens remained empty.
After the start, Häkkinen was able to maintain the lead ahead of Coulthard, Irvine and Frentzen, Michael Schumacher was late again at the second start and Alesi had to end the race immediately after the start due to a gearbox defect. In the third corner Trulli hit the rear tire of Hill during a failed overtaking attempt, the latter spun into the gravel and had to give up the race. After the first lap, the top six positions were unchanged and the McLarens pulled away from the rest of the field; The second-placed Coulthard already had a lead of almost three seconds over the first rival Irvine. Schumacher overtook four cars on the first lap and was in 17th place, after nine laps he was already in eleventh place. On the same lap problems began with Badoer's Minardi, who had to retire 31 laps later.
After 13 laps and a lead of a little more than 17 seconds over Irvine, Coulthard had to give up the race in the pit lane due to a gearbox defect. One lap later, the safety car was sent out on the track as Villeneuve's rear wing detached itself from the car at full throttle before turn eleven. Villeneuve spun several times, but the Canadian's quick braking reaction prevented worse. After the safety car had all the vehicles behind it, Häkkinen led ahead of Irvine, Frentzen, Ralf Schumacher, Fisichella, Trulli and in seventh place Michael Schumacher. Alexander Wurz was in twelfth place, Zonta and Diniz took advantage of the phase for a pit stop.
Three laps later there was a new start, but Häkkinen could not accelerate on the finish straight and surprisingly stopped the cars behind him, which had to evade. According to his own statements, Barrichello unintentionally overtook Michael Schumacher in order to avoid a collision and received a stop-and-go penalty. After crossing the safety car line, the whole field overtook Häkkinen, Ralf Schumacher was even able to move up to second place, as Frentzen had positioned himself poorly after the restart. But in turn three they both changed positions again, Fisichella braked herself and broke his front wing on Trulli's rear tire and an Arrows raced over the gravel bed. After a slow lap, Häkkinen pulled into the pit lane and changed tires and refueled while a technician connected a computer to the car. He gave the signal that Häkkinen should continue and then took up the race again in 17th place, only to finally give up on lap 21 like his teammate. On lap 18 Irvine was leading ahead of Frentzen, Trulli, Ralf and Michael Schumacher.
On lap 19, Zanardi slipped off the track, turned and hit the wall, whereupon the safety car came onto the track for the second time. Barrichello and Trulli, who had been driving a good race until then, took advantage of this and made a pit stop. Irvine continued to lead ahead of Frentzen, Ralf and Michael Schumacher, Diniz and Wurz when the race was reopened on lap 25. Trulli tried to pass Gené in turn three, but, similar to lap one, Trulli touched Gené's rear wheel and both had to end the race early. In turn eleven on lap 27, Michael Schumacher suffered a tire damage at the rear right from a part lying on the track and his front wing was slightly damaged by the vibrations that resulted. In addition to Schumacher, Wurz had to go into the pit lane, who also turned a few laps later at turn eleven due to a defect in the rear axle. On lap 32, Barrichello served his sentence for overtaking Michael Schumacher during the first safety car.
On lap 34 Ralf Schumacher was the first to stop from the top 3 and Luca Badoer from fifth place, so Fisichella inherited third place. On lap 37 Irvine and Frentzen pitted at the same time, but Irvine was just able to hold the lead over Fisichella. Fisichella tried an overtaking maneuver in turn three, but Fisichella had to back off. Fisichella stopped on lap 38 and Michael Schumacher drove into the pit lane unannounced. His pit team was not prepared for this and so the German had to drive through without stopping. On the next lap, Schumacher drove into the pit again, but rolled to the pit space there. In addition to new tires and fuel, the steering wheel was also changed.
Eddie Irvine won the race ahead of Frentzen, Schumacher, Fisichella, Barrichello and Pedro de la Rosa, who scored his first world championship point directly in his debut race. Takagi in seventh and Michael Schumacher in eighth and last place completed the overall result. Even before all the cars were in the parc fermé , many fans ran onto the track on the home straight, which is not compliant with the rules. This win was Irvine's first Formula 1 win, the trophy was presented by the Prime Minister of the Australian state of Victoria , Jeff Kennett . The trophy for the successful Ferrari designer was presented to Jean Todt by the airline's Chief Executive Officer and also the main sponsor of the Qantas Airways race , James Strong .
Registration list
classification
Qualifying
- Remarks
- ↑ Marc Gené was still allowed to take part in the race, as a time in free practice was well above the 107 percent rule and this was enough for the Stewarts.
run
| Item | driver | constructor | Round | Stops | time | begin | Fastest lap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Eddie Irvine
|
Ferrari
|
57 | 1 | 1: 35: 01.659 | 6th | 1: 33.560 |
| 2 |
Heinz-Harald Frentzen
|
Jordan-Mugen-Honda
|
57 | 1 | + 1.027 | 5 | 1: 33.378 |
| 3 |
Ralf Schumacher
|
Williams-Supertec
|
57 | 1 | + 7.012 | 8th | 1: 33,407 |
| 4th |
Giancarlo Fisichella
|
Benetton Playlife
|
57 | 2 | + 33,418 | 7th | 1: 33.657 |
| 5 |
 Rubens Barrichello
|
Stewart-Ford
|
57 | 3 | + 54.698 | 4th | 1: 32.894 |
| 6th |
 Pedro de la Rosa
|
Arrows
|
57 | 2 | +1: 24.317 | 18th | 1: 35.220 |
| 7th |
 Toranosuke Takagi
|
Arrows
|
57 | 1 | +1: 26.288 | 17th | 1: 35.877 |
| 8th |
Michael sSchumacher
|
Ferrari
|
56 | 3 | + 1 lap | 3 | 1: 32.112 |
| - |
Ricardo Zonta
|
BAR-Supertec
|
48 | 3 | DNF | 19th | 1: 34.756 |
| - |
Luca Badoer
|
Minardi-Ford
|
42 | 2 | DNF | 21st | 1: 37.073 |
| - |
 Alexander Wurz
|
Benetton Playlife
|
28 | 1 | DNF | 10 | 1: 36.088 |
| - |
Pedro Diniz
|
 Clean Petronas
|
27 | 1 | DNF | 14th | 1: 34.748 |
| - |
Marc Gené
|
Minardi-Ford
|
25th | 1 | DNF | 22nd | 1: 37.454 |
| - |
Jarno Trulli
|
 Cheers Peugeot
|
25th | 2 | DNF | 12 | 1: 34.980 |
| - |
Olivier Panis
|
Cheers Peugeot
|
23 | - | DNF | 20th | 1: 35.910 |
| - |
Mika Hakkinen
|
McLaren-Mercedes
|
21st | 1 | DNF | 1 | 1: 33.309 |
| - |
Alessandro Zanardi
|
Williams-Supertec
|
19th | 1 | DNF | 15th | 1: 37.146 |
| - |
David Coulthard
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McLaren-Mercedes
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15th | - | DNF | 2 | 1: 33.603 |
| - |
 Jacques Villeneuve
|
BAR-Supertec
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14th | - | DNF | 11 | 1: 34.771 |
| - |
Damon Hill
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Jordan-Mugen-Honda
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0 | - | DNF | 9 | - |
| - |
Jean Alesi
|
Clean Petronas
|
0 | - | DNF | 16 | - |
| - |
Johnny Herbert
|
Stewart-Ford
|
- | - | DNS | 13 | - |
World Cup stands after the race
The first six of the race got 10, 6, 4, 3, 2 and 1 point (s) respectively.
Driver ranking
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Constructors' championship
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Individual evidence
- ↑ motorsportarchiv.de Overview Australia 1999 ( Memento from March 24, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ motorsportarchiv.de Friday training Australia 1999 ( Memento from March 24, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ motorsport-magazin.com Friday training Australia 1999
- ↑ motorsport-magazin.com Saturday training Australia 1999
- ↑ motorsport-magazin.com Qualifying Australia 1999
- ↑ motorsport-magazin.com Warm-Up Australia 1999
- ↑ motorsport-magazin.com Race Australia 1999
