Formula One: Coulthard back in title hunt with victory; Hakkinen regains points lead
30 August 1999
SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium, -- Mika Hakkinen's second place in the Belgian Grand Prix moved him back into the lead of the World Championship by one point over Eddie Irvine. Hakkinen's West McLaren-Mercedes teammate, David Coulthard, led from start to finish, and McLaren's third one-two finish of the season vaulted it ahead of Ferrari in the Constructors Championship."Spa has always been my favorite track, and I had never won here in any of the different formulae which have brought me here," Coulthard said. "So to finally win here is great. To have won my home race, at Silverstone, and then to win here means I have won at two of the most important circuits."
Hakkinen now has 60 points while Irvine, who finished fourth in his Ferrari, has 59. Coulthard is third in the standings with 46, followed by Heinz-Harald Frentzen with 40.
In the Constructors Championship, McLaren leads with 106 points over Ferrari with 97.
Moments after the start of the race -- round 12 of 16 in the Formula One calendar -- it looked as if neither McLaren driver would finish. Pole sitter Hakkinen faltered off the line and Coulthard, who had qualified second, was in front heading for the first corner as Hakkinen made a dive for the inside. The cars touched but emerged unscathed with Coulthard in the lead he'd keep for the entire 44-lap race.
Coulthard averaged 133.342 mph (214.595 km/h) to complete the 44-lap, 190.497-mile (306.577 km) in one hour, 25 minutes and 43.057 seconds. Although Hakkinen is the team's main contender for the championship, McLaren decided not to issue any team orders for the race. Afterward, Hakkinen who looked unhappy with the outcome of the race, called the incident at the first corner "not very pleasant" but declined to make any further comment on the issue.
Hakkinen said he decided to settle for the valuable points gained from finishing second rather than risk it all by battling his teammate throughout the race.
Frentzen finished in the top six for the sixth consecutive race as he brought his B&H Jordan-Mugen-Honda home third. Irvine was fourth in his Ferrari followed by Ralf Schumacher's Winfield Williams-Mecachrome and Damon Hill's Jordan.
Former Indianapolis 500 winner Jacques Villeneuve finally finished a Grand Prix in his 12th start in the unreliable British American Racing-Supertec, nursing his car home one lap down in 15th. He wrecked two cars in practice, and the BAR mechanics stayed up all night Saturday to prepare the team's test cars for the race. The test cars were on their way to Italy and then were diverted to Belgium and arrived at the track at 11 p.m.
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