McLAREN MP4/13 Mercedes

   The work of the English “wizard” Adrian Newey, who joined McLaren in 1997 but was unable to influence the design of the McLaren MP4/12 that year beyond a few mid-season adjustments, which nevertheless resulted in a one-two finish at the European Grand Prix at the end of the season, is fully evident in the design and performance of the new MP4/13. Ron Dennis, in fact, entrusted Newey with full authority, and starting from 1998 he took on the role of Technical Director, thus completing an exceptional technical team that included Neil Oatley as Chief Designer, Steve Nichols as Engineering Director, Matthew Jeffreys as Head of Vehicle Design, David North and David Neilson respectively in charge of transmission and suspension, Paddy Lowe heading the Research and Development department, and Henri Durand as Head of Aerodynamics, while engine designer Mario Illien of Ilmor-Mercedes remained part of the team as engine chief, alongside Norbert Haug, Mercedes Vice President for motorsport activities.

McLAREN MP4/13, Mika Häkkinen
Interlagos, Brazilian GP 1998

   The McLaren-Mercedes partnership continued into 1998 and, after the first years of apprenticeship, grew increasingly successful thanks in part to the quality of the powerful German V10 engine, which for 1998 was updated to the FO-110G version. This version was completely revised in terms of materials, reducing its weight to an enviable 110 kg while delivering a power increase to around 780 hp at 17,000 rpm, making the German V10 the best engine of 1998 in terms of power-to-weight ratio. The new MP4/13 still sported the beautiful silver/black/white livery of sponsor West, although it was initially unveiled in February at Woking in the classic McLaren papaya orange colors. The new car followed the team’s conservative philosophy of recent years and at first glance did not look radically different from its predecessor, but in fact it was entirely redesigned, especially due to the new technical regulations requiring cars to be 20 cm narrower and to use grooved tires, in this case supplied by Bridgestone. Newey’s influence was most apparent in the new chassis and the car’s aerodynamics, further refined and improved over the already capable MP4/12, making the MP4/13, together with Ferrari’s F300, the best car of the 1998 season.

McLAREN MP4/13, Mika Häkkinen
Suzuka, Japanese GP 1998 

   The nose remained low and sloping, bucking the trend of other cars which increasingly raised theirs, but the differences with the ’97 car began with the suspension, which now featured internal vertical dampers and torsion bars instead of the previous horizontally mounted coil spring/damper units. The switch to Bridgestone tires took some time to properly integrate with the new suspension setup, but already during its first outing in pre-season testing at the Catalunya-Barcelona circuit in Spain, the MP4/13 impressed with lap times nearly three seconds faster than its closest rivals. Unlike its competitors, Newey opted for a relatively long wheelbase, prioritizing aerodynamic efficiency at high speed over agility in slow corners. To mitigate this drawback, McLaren engineers devised the “Fiddle Brake” system, commonly referred to as the “third pedal”: an additional brake pedal operated by the driver to apply braking to a single rear wheel, helping minimize understeer and wheelspin when exiting slow corners. The FIA launched an investigation following protests from some teams, primarily Ferrari, who claimed the system was illegal as it was akin to four-wheel steering, which regulations prohibited. Although the FIA initially deemed the McLaren system legal during pre-season discussions, under pressure from Ferrari, Williams, and the broader paddock, McLaren opted to remove the device to avoid potential disqualifications and sanctions in what was shaping up to be a winning season.

McLAREN MP4/13, Mika Häkkinen
Montecarlo, Monaco GP 1998

   The team’s two confirmed drivers, Finn Mika Häkkinen and Scotsman David Coulthard, began the Championship by taking first and second place in both Australia and Brazil, leaving rivals in the dust, lapping the entire field in Melbourne and finishing over a minute ahead of third place in Interlagos. After the banning of the Fiddle Brake, the MP4/13 returned to being a “normal” car, though still remarkably fast and reliable. Following Schumacher’s win in Argentina, the McLarens dominated again with victories in San Marino, Spain, and Canada. In the mid-season phase, Schumacher’s Ferrari, the only real challenger to Woking’s supremacy, began closing the gap, though Häkkinen always retained a small points advantage over the German. The championship finale came, as in the best screenplays, in the last race of the season at Suzuka in Japan, where both contenders needed a win to claim the world title. In qualifying, Schumacher took pole ahead of Häkkinen. The race start was delayed when Trulli’s Prost stalled, but the real drama unfolded after the formation lap when Schumacher accidentally selected first gear, stalling his car and forcing him to start from the back of the grid. After a second formation lap, the race got underway with Häkkinen leading, while Schumacher made a brilliant comeback, reaching 7th place after four laps and rising to 3rd following pit stops by the front runners. On lap 28, debris from a collision between two cars punctured Schumacher’s tire, which finally exploded three laps later, ending his title hopes and handing the championship to Häkkinen.

McLAREN MP4/13, Mika Häkkinen
Catalunya-Barcelona, GP di Spanish GP 1998 

   The Finn won the race and clinched his first world title with 100 points, bringing McLaren back to the top of the world seven years after the late Ayrton Senna’s 1991 title. Coulthard contributed to the constructors’ crown by finishing third overall with 56 points, achieving one win and eight podiums compared to Häkkinen’s eight wins and three podiums. However, he was also involved in an infamous incident during the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps. In torrential rain, Coulthard triggered a massive first-lap pileup involving 15 cars, and in the restart Häkkinen collided with Herbert’s Sauber, ending his race. Schumacher led comfortably and soon came up to lap Coulthard, who had rejoined after causing the initial crash. During the lapping maneuver, with visibility near zero due to heavy spray, Coulthard suddenly slowed dangerously, causing Schumacher to crash into him and retire. Chaos erupted in the pits, with the Ferrari driver accusing Coulthard of deliberately causing the incident to favor Häkkinen, who was leading the championship. Coulthard admitted his responsibility only in 2003, five years later.