FERRARI F300

   At the end of the 1997 season, which saw Scuderia Ferrari return to the top ranks of Formula 1 and gain the confidence of finally being able to challenge any opponent with the certainty of having the best in every department, Jean Todt immediately set to work to further strengthen the technical staff available to Technical Director Ross Brawn. After hiring Williem Toet as Head of Aerodynamics and Rory Byrne as Chief Designer, both arriving from the Benetton team along with Brawn himself, in 1998 yet another technician moved from the Enstone team to Maranello: this time it was Nikolas Tombazis, a Greek engineer who has been working for the FIA since 2018 and is currently serving as “Single-Seater Director.” In Ferrari in 1998, he took on the role of Chief Aerodynamic Engineer, a position that became increasingly crucial in late-1990s cars. Another important figure was Giorgio Ascanelli, an engineer with an impressive career, having first worked as a Calculation Technician at Ferrari in the mid-1980s, later moving to Race Engineer with Berger at Ferrari, then to Benetton with Piquet, followed by McLaren with Senna, before returning to Maranello in 1995 under Barnard's leadership. In 1998, he was in charge of Research and Development.

FERRARI F300, Michael Schumacher
Silverstone, British GP 1998

   From Minardi came Aldo Costa, who had already been with Ferrari for a couple of seasons and in 1998 became assistant to Chief Designer Rory Byrne, later taking on increasingly important roles in the years ahead. Another key appointment in 1998 was Gilles Simon, who became Chief Engine Designer, working alongside Paolo Martinelli, who retained the title of Technical Director of Engines. Simon had arrived at Ferrari with Todt in 1993, after working together at Peugeot designing the V10 that triumphed at Le Mans in the early 1990s. Notably, from 2013 to 2017, Simon worked as a consultant for Honda, actively contributing to the design of the V6 Turbo that powers the Red Bull cars that won World Championships with Max Verstappen in 2021, ’22, ’23, and ’24. A team of technicians of such caliber could only provide an excellent foundation for building an outstanding single-seater, the new Ferrari F300. The new Maranello car aesthetically carried over many of the concepts already introduced on the 1997 F310B.

FERRARI F300, Michael Schumacher
Montecarlo, Monaco GP 1998

   The nose, still high and narrow, featured a double longitudinal ridge that extended to fair the steering wheel and then continued along the cockpit sides, covering the side protections and ending at the new engine cover, narrower and shorter than before. The sidepods were placed more forward and lower, with a smoother design, ending with an aerodynamic element positioned in front of the rear wheels to deflect airflow over them. The air intakes of the sidepods had a more harmonious shape, making the car sleeker, also thanks to the new track widths that were 20 mm narrower by regulation. All this reflected an increasingly obsessive search for diverse aerodynamic elements, which would lead to Ferrari’s remarkable dominance in the coming years. A new air intake above the driver’s head was also introduced, set further back and slightly larger to provide greater airflow to the new Tipo 47 V10 engine, capable of delivering 805 hp at 17,300 rpm. The new 2,996 cc engine had a revised 80° bank angle instead of the previous 75°, allowing for an even lower center of gravity, along with numerous component modifications, notably the top-exiting exhausts, with the exhaust gases directed upward to create a flow of hot air toward the rear wing. This new exhaust configuration allowed for better cooling of the rear area and significantly improved aerodynamics, proving so effective that within a few races, many other teams copied the design.

FERRARI F300, Eddie Irvine
Nürburgring, Luxembourg GP 1998

   Another significant change involved the front suspension geometry, which, while retaining the push-rod double-wishbone layout, introduced new kinematics and returned to vertical dampers to better exploit the new grooved tires. At Ferrari’s request, from the Argentine Grand Prix onward, Goodyear supplied the team with a dedicated, wider front tire to give the car sharper front-end handling, as preferred by lead driver Michael Schumacher, once again partnered by Eddie Irvine this season. Throughout the 1998 campaign, the F300 was constantly updated aerodynamically, with the introduction of X-Wings at the San Marino Grand Prix (later banned before the Spanish Grand Prix for safety reasons), a new diffuser and revised rear bodywork starting at the Canadian Grand Prix, as well as a new delta-shaped front wing. For the German and Belgian races, a long-wheelbase version was used, while for the final race in Japan, a specially designed engine with a few extra horsepower was prepared to face the last showdown with Mika Häkkinen’s McLaren-Mercedes.

FERRARI F300, Michael Schumacher
Imola, San Marino GP 1998

   The new F300 was a very fast and competitive car, allowing Schumacher to fight for the title until the final race of the Championship, ultimately losing, as in the previous year, at the last round. The 1998 season closed with six victories, all by the German champion, five second places, and eight third places, along with three pole positions, earning Ferrari second place in the Constructors’ standings with 133 points. Michael Schumacher finished second in the Drivers’ Championship with 86 points, 14 behind his rival Häkkinen, while Eddie Irvine, with 47 points, ranked fourth, achieving three second-place finishes as his best results. In January 1999, on Ferrari’s private Fiorano track, an F300 was specially prepared for a test session granted to Italian motorcycle champion Max Biaggi.