Ferrari F300

The Ferrari F300 was a Formula One car that the Ferrari team competed with for the 1998 Formula One World Championship. The chassis was designed by Rory Byrne, Aldo Costa and Nikolas Tombazis with Ross Brawn playing a vital role in leading the production of the car as the team's Technical Director and Paolo Martinelli leading the engine design. It was powered by the 3-litre Ferrari Tipo 047 V10 engine and designed around a narrower track as mandated by the FIA in a series of regulation changes for that season.[1]

Ferrari F300
The F300 at the 2009 Goodwood Festival of Speed
CategoryFormula One
ConstructorFerrari
Designer(s)Ross Brawn (Technical Director)
Rory Byrne (Chief Designer)
Aldo Costa (Head of Design)
Nikolas Tombazis (Head of Aerodynamics)
PredecessorF310B
SuccessorF399
Technical specifications
ChassisCarbon-fibre and honeycomb composite structure
Suspension (front)Double-wishbone pushrod suspension
Suspension (rear)Double-wishbone pushrod suspension
EngineFerrari Tipo 047/B/C 80-degree V10
TransmissionFerrari seven-speed longitudinal semi-automatic sequential
FuelShell
TyresGoodyear
Competition history
Notable entrantsScuderia Ferrari Marlboro
Notable drivers3. Michael Schumacher
4. Eddie Irvine
Debut1998 Australian Grand Prix
RacesWinsPodiumsPolesF.Laps
1661936
Constructors' Championships0
Drivers' Championships0

Overview
Luca di Montezemolo at the launch of the F300, January 1998

Strongly resembling the previous season's Ferrari F310B, albeit with a narrower track and redesigned sidepods, the F300 was a competitive and reliable car, however it was still aerodynamically inferior to the McLaren MP4/13. Despite this, Michael Schumacher battled his way to second place in the world championship behind Mika Häkkinen.[2] Ferrari also finished as runners-up in the Constructors' Championship. The car was an excellent base for the dominance which Ferrari would achieve in the following seasons. Schumacher battled back from a large deficit to be on the same points amount as Häkkinen following his sixth win of the season at Monza, but having been beaten narrowly by Häkkinen at Nürburgring in the penultimate round the championship title was no longer in Schumacher's own destiny. Having stalled the car on the grid in the finale at Suzuka definitely made sure the title was lost, compounded by a puncture following a fightback that might have landed a podium. Even a podium would have been in vain as Häkkinen also won that race. Häkkinen finished with 100 points compared with 86 for Schumacher. Eddie Irvine finished fourth in the championship, being the second-placed finisher in both 1-2's Ferrari scored in France and Italy. Schumacher won six races but Irvine once again did not record a single win. Fourth was his highest championship finish to that date though and he collected many podium finishes over the course of the campaign.[3]

As with all Formula 1 cars, the F300 was heavily and consistently revised during the 1998 season. At the Argentine Grand Prix, a wider front tyre from Goodyear was introduced which significantly improved the handling of the car. "X-wings" were introduced at the San Marino Grand Prix, but were later banned before the Spanish Grand Prix due to safety reasons.[4] A longer wheelbase version of the car was introduced for the German and Belgian Grands Prix, and a new spec engine was also designed for the title-deciding Japanese Grand Prix. The most significant upgrade to the car was introduced at the Canadian Grand Prix, where it received a new diffuser, new rear body panels, a new delta-shaped front wing and top-exiting exhausts. This overhaul coincided with a hat trick of wins for Schumacher.[5] The latter of which improved cooling and aerodynamics of the car which was so effective that many other teams copied the design.[1]

Complete Formula One results

(key) (results in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Engine Tyres Drivers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Points WCC
1998 Ferrari Ferrari 047 V10 G AUS BRA ARG SMR ESP MON CAN FRA GBR AUT GER HUN BEL ITA LUX JPN 133 2nd
Michael Schumacher Ret 3 1 2 3 10 1 1 1 3 5 1 Ret 1 2 Ret
Eddie Irvine 4 8 3 3 Ret 3 3 2 3 4 8 Ret Ret 2 4 2
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References
  1. Bissett, Mark. "Irvine's Ferrari F300: Monaco 1998". primotipo.com. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  2. "Ferrari F300". www.f1technical.net. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  3. "1998 FERRARI F300". www.barrett-jackson.com. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  4. "20 years ago the X-wings got banned". 30 April 2018. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  5. "Prost And Williams Seek Solutions". www.crash.net. 14 May 1998. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  • Autocourse 1998-99, Henry, Alan (ed.), Hazleton Publishing Ltd. (1998) ISBN 978-1-874557-43-2
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