F1-SEASON 1999

Australian GP, Melbourne March 7th
NUMBER TWO DRIVER TAKES THE FIRST PLACE
 
During the winter McLarens had been awesome, but when the real battle started the cars didn't make it to the chequered flag. Even Michael Schumacher had his share of bad luck, so once and for all it was finally Schuey's slave Eddie Irvine's turn! All the favorites for the title (Mika Häkkinen, David Coulthard, Schuey) got zero points from Down Under.
 
Brazilian GP, Sao Paolo April 11th
IT WAS SO EASY
 
Mika took a win again, even though at one point of the race he nearly retired due to a gearbox problem. A shark ate David again, but Schumi was able to make it to the land with his second place. But Eddie was still the King of the world...
 
GP of San Marino, Imola May 2nd
GO FOR GLORY
 
Mika made his first - but NOT last! - major mistake of the season at the infamous track of Imola. When he was coming to the mainstraight his car slided too much to the side and that was it, the end of story for him. Mika had been leading the race with a big gap when he retired, but after his clanger the battle was between David and Schumi. The fight was close but finally Michael managed to take a win. David took his first points of the season, and the biggest surprise of the race was that DC at last made it to the chequered flag.
 
GP of Monaco, Monte Carlo May 16th
TO WHOM THE BELLS CHIME?
 
Ferrari took a one-two at Monaco in pure style, and Mika accompanied them with his third place. David's statistics instead were added with a way too familiar annotation - retirement due to a technical failure.
 
Spanish GP, Barcelona May 30th
THE TWO MUSKETEERS STRIKED BACK
 
The Spanish sun eventually restored the march order to the good, old form: McLaren-Mercedes- combination took its first one-two-victory for a long, long time.
 
Canadian GP, Montreal June 13th
CHAMPS' DATES WITH THE WALL
 
During the race too many World Champions hit the wall at the last turn of the track. To the same mine sunk both Hill, Villeneuve and also Schumi, who was leading the race. So Mika took a win on a track which had always been especially difficult for him.
 
French GP, Magny Cours June 27th
DANCING IN THE RAIN
 
Rain had already messed up the qualifying for the French GP, but appeared again even during the actual race. Mika fought his way to the second place; David instead sung the same old song.
 
British GP, Silverstone July 11th
VIA STOWE TO A HOLIDAY
 
Schumi drove to the wall and broke his leg STOP The team screwed up with Mika's tyre STOP David won his homerace STOP 
 
Austrian GP, A1-Ring July 25th
BAD DREAM BECAME SO REAL
 
DC perhaps learned something in Austria: Even though you push your team mate off the track on the first lap, you can still lose the race. Eddie took the win after David had made it so easy for him with his blunder. So the first race after Michael's injury went just fine for Ferrari's new number one driver, whereas the new number two driver Mika Salo was in trouble.
 
German GP, Hockenheim August 1st
SEE ME RUIN IT FOR THE 4351st TIME
 
David's unconsciousness still continued in Germany. At first he had to break down his front wing behind Salo's car, and then cut accross a corner and end up to the pits after getting a stop&go penalty. As a result of all this was a fifth place in a race which Eddie won. Mika retired after his tyre exploded.
 
Hungarian GP, Hungaroring August 15th
ALL THE FINNS IN HUNGARY?
 
The hottest topic of the weekend was the enormous amount of Finns in the auditorium. Some even thoght that the whole nation had come to Hungary to support the two Finnish Mikas. McLaren took their second one-two of the season at the best possible time!
 
Belgian GP, Spa-Francorchamps August 29th
SOMETIMES COMING SECOND CAN BE ENOUGH
 
Häkkinen ruined it for David at Spa: While DC was trying to celebrate his second win of the season, Mika was sulking beside him. He just couldn't stand the fact that he had lost to his team mate... Shame you Mika!
 

Italian GP, Monza September 12th
FROM A FLYING FINN TO A CRYING FINN
 
Italy is a promised land for all the tifosis, but for Mika the country offered last year nothing but nightmares. At Monza a FLYING FINN became a CRYING FINN, when Mika drove off the track because of his own mistake while he was leading.
 
European GP, Nürburgring September 26th
THIS IS HOW WE PARTY...
 
The most eventful race of the season was seen at Nürburgring. Several drivers held the lead during the race, but many of them were in for a disappointment. Rain ruined various chances, including David's, who would have - by holding his lead - had a true possibility to fight for the title for the first time in his career. The victory was then taken by Johnny Herbert and Stewart-Ford!
 
Malaysian GP, Sepang October 17th
GIVE ME A BREAK!!
 
Everybody knows it: Ferrari took a one-two in Malaysia while Mika was nearly fainting on the third step of the podium. After the race the two Ferraris were disqualified, but a week later were approved again by FIA! The meeting at Paris ensured one thing: FIA thinks that Ferrari doesn't have to bother to obey the rules!
 
Japanese GP, Suzuka October 31st
FLYING FINN FIRST AT FINISH...AGAIN
 

David's driving off the road was caused by the team, which misplaced tyres to DC's car: Left one to the right and vice versa. So the contructors's title went to Ferrari. At the driver's side Mika took a wonder start and won the World Championship again, because Michael didn't feel like helping Eddie.