View of the stripped-down monocoque chassis of the Minardi M198, on display at the 2022 Silverstone Classic
For 1998, Minardi signed Shinji Nakano from Prost, and rookie Esteban Tuero. The M198 featured a Ford powered Cosworth V10 engine, upgrading from the previous seasons Hart V8. Tuero first tested the new engine in January 1998 at Mugello. By February, Nakano had joined the team and was testing the car in Barcelona. However, despite optimism, Tuero had yet to be granted a super licence to compete in the 1998 season. Tuero was eventually awarded his license by the FIA and upon starting the season at 19 years of age, he became the third-youngest ever Formula One driver at the time. At the first round of the 1998 season in Australia, Tuero managed to qualify in 17th position ahead of 1996 Monaco Grand Prix winner Olivier Panis, and both Tyrrells. However, ultimately the race would finish in a double retirement for the M198 - a feat repeated at the next round in Brazil. Nakano took the M198 to its first Grand Prix finish in Reliability was an issue with the M198, as were a number of accidents. The car failed to finish 18 times. Tuero only finished four Grand Prix he entered, a 75% retirement rate. Nakano suffered six retirements, meaning three Grand Prix where neither M198 passed the chequered flag. At the final race of the season in Japan, Tuero was involved in a collision with Tora Takagi which caused lesions across three spinal vertebrae. The debris from the accident was hit by Michael Schumacher, leading him to retire and Mika Hakkinen won the title. The highlight of the M198 was Nakano's 7th place finish at the 1998 Canadian Grand Prix. This led Minardi to finish ahead of Tyrrell in the 1998 Constructors' Championship, despite both teams failing to score any the season, Minardi began utilising the M198 for testing ahead of 1999. Laurent Redon, Marc Gene and Italian F3 winner Donny Crevels all tested the M198 at Barcelona in December, 1998. Gene would ultimately join the team for 1999, and drive the M01
Size: 5616px × 3744px
Location: Silverstone Circuit, Towcester, Northamptonshire, NN12 8TN
Photo credit: © John Gaffen / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: -speed, 710, 1998, 2022, 15000, , 72-degree, 90s, @, bar, blue, brake, brunner, carbon-fibre, championship., classic, coaxial, cockpit, colour, composite, demonstration, discs, double, esteban, f1, fia, fondmetal, ford, formula, gp, gustav, honeycomb, hp, ignition, international, jd, longitudinal, m198, mid-engined, minardi, nakano, paddock, pushrod, radiators, rpm, scheme, semi-automatic, sequential, shinji, sidepods, silver, silverstone, spring/damper, structure, team, torsion, tuero, v10, v10-powered, ventilated, wishbones, world, zetec-
