FORMULA ONE: Schumacher Looks to Regain Grip on Points Lead in France
25 June 1999
INDIANAPOLIS -- After a stop in North America for the Canadian Grand Prix, the Formula One "circus" heads to France for the seventh of 16 rounds of the World Championship.With a win in Canada in his West McLaren-Mercedes, Mika Hakkinen took over the lead in the points standings from championship rival Michael Schumacher, who failed to finish after hitting the wall while leading the race in his Ferrari. With three victories this season, Hakkinen now has 34 points while Schumacher, with two wins, has 30.
The French Grand Prix is staged at the Circuit de Nevers located in a rural area three hours drive south of Paris near the towns of Nevers and Magny Cours.
History would indicate that Schumacher will have the advantage in this weekend's French Grand Prix: He's won the race four times, including the last two years driving for Ferrari. Hakkinen, meanwhile, has never won in France, and McLaren's last victory there came in 1989.
"We've always done well in France," Schumacher said, "so there's no reason why we shouldn't do so again."
But Hakkinen is equally confident.
"We tested last week (at Magny Cours), concentrating on developing the car," Hakkinen said. "As you have seen, the car is now stronger and more reliable, so now we don't have to worry about the car breaking down all the time, and we are able to concentrate on developing it instead. That's the reality.
"Now we have got it strong, we can make it stronger and more consistent. I am really looking forward to the race.
"Before (the Spanish Grand Prix at) Barcelona, I also remember saying how difficult our car was to drive. It is better now; it is definitely a more consistent car. You can push it more on the limit and keep it on the limit for a longer time."
The Constructors Championship has settled into a close duel between Ferrari, with 55 points, and McLaren-Mercedes with 46. Jordan-Mugen-Honda is third with 16 points.
"Looking at it overall, both teams are extremely close in terms of performance," Hakkinen said. "It's coming down now to how much each team can develop its car in terms of performance, engine and chassis.
Reliability and development are going to be the key of everything.
"Let's see what's going to happen. We have some good developments coming up soon, and let's hope that we can make our car quicker than their car."
While Hakkinen sprayed the winner's champagne in Montreal, Jacques Villeneuve was contemplating yet another disappointing race. Since joining the new British American Racing F1 team this season, 1995 Indy 500 winner Villeneuve has yet to finish a Grand Prix.
Villeneuve's BAR team joined all the other F1 teams except Minardi and Arrows for a pre-race test last week at Magny Cours. Eddie Irvine set the pace in his Ferrari, while Alex Zanardi was second quickest in his Winfield Williams-Supertec and followed by David Coulthard in his West McLaren-Me rcedes.
Testing times at Magny Cours, however, often don't tell the whole story, as the track is notorious for its changing grip levels.
"Like most drivers, Jacques doesn't particularly like the circuit," said Jock Clear, BAR's senior race engineer to Villeneuve, "but interestingly, he has had some good results here -- second in 1996 and fourth in 1997 and 1998.
"Without a doubt, grip -- or more precisely, the lack of it -- is once again sure to be the overriding handling issue at Magny Cours. The surface is particularly temperature-sensitive, with grip levels dropping dramatically as the ambient temperature rises. Higher ambient temperatures here on race weekend could work to our advantage, though, in terms of getting the most from our tires."
Like Villeneuve, two-time CART champion Alex Zanardi has had little luck this season and has only finished one race in his Winfield Williams-Supertec.
"What I hate about Magny Cours is that it is so difficult to get to," Za nardi said of the remote track. "But once I'm there I really like some of the exciting turns, especially the chicanes that are very fast and very difficult to get into. It's a track where I was never lucky in the past. "I hope this year I will go against the odds and have better fortune. I'm confident I will have a good race, thanks to the testing we had here last week."
Much of the attention this weekend will be focused on Damon Hill, who will be competing in his final French Grand Prix. Hill, the 1996 World Champion and winner of the 1996 French Grand Prix, has said that he will retire at the end of the season. He, too, has endured an unlucky season so far and has only finished one race in the points in his B&H Jordan-Mugen-Honda.
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