With a plan for an almost total revolution already set in motion for 1999, the Minardi team approached the 1998 Championship as little more than a transitional year. Giancarlo Minardi and Gabriele Rumi began laying the foundations for the future by hiring Cesare Fiorio, former sporting director of Ferrari, Ligier, and Prost Grand Prix, as well as British designer George Ryton, who brought significant experience, particularly from his time at Ferrari under John Barnard, with whom he had also worked at Barnard's UK-based design studio. The role of Technical Director was given to Gustav Brunner, though his arrival in Faenza came when the design of the new M198 had already been practically completed by Gabriele Tredozi, who, following the Austrian engineer's arrival, was appointed Chief Engineer. Mariano Alperin remained Head of Aerodynamics, continuing to work alongside Davide Colombo, tasked with improving downforce at the Casumaro wind tunnel in the province of Ferrara.
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| MINARDI M198, Esteban Tuero Imola, San Marino GP 1998 |
The new M198 retained many mechanical parts from its predecessor, the M197, with only slight updates, for example, the chassis remained a classic carbon fiber honeycomb monocoque but was reinforced for 1998 to meet the stricter side crash test regulations introduced that season. The suspension was essentially unchanged, featuring double wishbones with a push-rod configuration, coaxial spring/damper units, and torsion bars. The gearbox was also carried over, a six-speed longitudinal semi-automatic plus reverse, but this time paired with a different engine.
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| MINARDI M198, Esteban Tuero Montréal, Canadian GP 1998 |
In 1998, the Faenza-based team abandoned the old Hart V8 830 AV7, a low-cost, outdated engine delivering only 640 hp, in favor of the Ford-Cosworth JD Zetec-R, a V10 not exactly cutting-edge but at least capable of providing around 710 hp at 15,000 rpm. The M198’s nose was redesigned, losing the awkward, ungainly shape of the M197 in favor of a sleeker, more tapered profile, while the sidepods and rear section remained virtually unchanged. Another modification was made to the engine air intake above the driver's head, which, following the general trend, was separated from the engine cover and lost its triangular 1997 shape. The car also sported a completely new livery, abandoning the flashy black/white/yellow colors of the previous season for a more understated silver and blue.
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| MINARDI M198, Shinji Nakano Monza, Italian GP 1998 |
The race drivers chosen were Japanese Shinji Nakano, coming from Prost Grand Prix but only joining the Italian team late in February, and rookie Argentine driver Esteban Tuero. Tuero’s signing, at just nineteen years old in 1998, initially sparked considerable controversy due to his very young age and, above all, his lack of experience, to the point that the FIA initially denied him the superlicense required to race in Formula 1. The matter was resolved when the small Italian team had Tuero complete over 2,000 kilometers of pre-season testing, enough to secure FIA approval, making him the third-youngest Formula 1 driver in history at the time. From the outset, the M198 proved deficient in every aspect, both in performance and reliability, resulting in a season of very poor results. After a series of early race retirements, Nakano managed some consistency in the mid-season, finishing six consecutive races and achieving Minardi's best result of the year with seventh place in Canada. Meanwhile, Tuero buckled under the intense pressure from the Argentine media, who were already hailing him as the next Carlos Reutemann. His season was marred by weak performances and frequent mistakes, ending with only four race finishes and twelve retirements.
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| MINARDI M198, Shinji Nakano Montecarlo, Monaco GP 1998 |
In the final race of the season in Japan, Tuero inadvertently played a decisive role in the championship outcome when he was involved in a collision with Takagi's Tyrrell. Debris from the incident, scattered at the last chicane before the main straight, was collected by Michael Schumacher's Ferrari, causing a tire puncture and forcing the German to retire, effectively handing the title to Mika Häkkinen. After the Japanese Grand Prix, despite Minardi offering him a contract extension for the following season, Tuero unexpectedly decided to leave Formula 1, making way for young Spanish driver Marc Gené, who would make his F1 debut in 1999. At the end of the championship, Minardi finished a third consecutive season without scoring points, but thanks to better overall finishes, they claimed tenth place in the Constructors’ standings ahead of Tyrrell, a team on the brink of collapse and competing in its final Formula 1 season.
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